Love and Malice
by Gryffindor-Gal3
Summary: -Finished- Prince Rhain rescues Keelin, an abused servant, from the clutches of her master, setting off a chain of events that threatens his kingdom and his and Keelin's very lives. My take on a Cinderella-type story.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

            The prince sighed in boredom.  His father was getting ready to put on yet another show, in the hopes that his son would see reason and agree to marry Princess Maria of Spain.  

            "Have you any idea how important this treaty is to the future of England?" his father had cried, his voice rising with each syllable.  His face had become beet red and the ugly purple vein on the right side of his neck had begun to bulge, as it always did when he was exceedingly angry.  It seemed that the prince was seeing more and more of that vein lately.

            "Arthur, calm yourself," his mother, the queen, said softly, half-rising from her chair in alarm.

            "Quiet, woman!" the king roared.  "You have always been too soft with the boy.  I will handle this situation.  You try to protect him as if he was yet a child but he is four and twenty.  'Tis time for him to begin acting like a man and a prince of the realm.  I will no longer tolerate this spoiled, selfish state.  He will learn to do what is best for this kingdom if ever he wishes to be king!"

            It was not that the king was a bad man.  It was just that his life's obsession had always been trying to expand the boundaries of England.  No matter how successful or rich the country, he always felt that it could be richer and more successful.  His ambitions had wrought havoc in his family over the years.  All of his time and attention was devoted to his true love, England and its people.  His family had always come second to his kingdom.  As a result, his son was growing more estranged by the minute. 

The prince cared about his kingdom.  He loved his country intensely and was painfully aware that he would probably not be able to be as fine a ruler for the people as his father.  Still, he could not help but long for the freedom to make his own choices.  He did not want to be a slave to the crown and he was tired of always being his father's puppet.  Whenever he did not do what the man wanted, he was accused of being selfish and behaving like a boy.  He was becoming quite used to such outbursts from his father.  At first, they had truly hurt him, but his skin had become progressively thicker, until he could barely feel the blows.  Quite simply, all the prince wanted was to have some peace and joy in his life.

            "Listen to me," the king commanded his son.  "I have worked very hard at creating good relations between my kingdom and that of King Ferdinand, but he still does not place his complete trust in me.  You have turned your nose up at every other princess I have brought before you, but this time you have no choice.  You will woo the Spanish princess and you will wed her.  She must become your wife.  The future of England depends upon it," the king thundered.

            "My lord, perhaps there is another way of appeasing the Spanish king," his wife interrupted timidly.  She was forever anxious and eager to protect her son from her husband's tyranny.  "Our son simply does not love the princess.  Could we not offer an alliance between her and the Earl of Yorkshire instead?"

            The king swung around to face his wife, his chest heaving.  When he worked himself into this state, he truly resembled a bull about to charge.  "Are you a fool?" he cried.  "Do you honestly believe that the king would be satisfied with marrying his daughter off to a mere earl?  Have you no sense, woman?  Would I ever allow my son to marry beneath his station?"

            "Nay, but..." his mother began, her voice quaking slightly.

            "Then you should know that Ferdinand would not ever do anything so foolish either."

            The prince was tired of watching his father frighten his mother.  She was a kind, gentle woman and the king was too thick to see how lucky he had been to wed her.  The prince could not stand to see her so badly treated, especially when it was on his account.  "Father, do not turn your anger on my mother," he said.  "'Tis I with whom you are angry and 'tis I alone who will suffer the consequences of that anger.  No matter what you say, I will not marry the princess of Spain."  The prince's voice was firm, causing the king to turn a most alarming shade of purple.

            "Are you stupid, boy?"  The king was now nearly screaming and the prince just knew that the servants were listening at the door, eager to repeat this newest battle to their friends and family.  Unfortunately, the king was too caught up in his determination to break his son's will to notice the damage he was causing to his son's reputation.  After all, if his father did not have any faith in his son's ability to be king, why should any of his subjects?  It was a most dangerous situation, but no matter how hard he tried, the prince could not make his father understand that he was giving every excuse to his father's enemies to oppose the legitimacy of his son's future as king.

            "Father, please calm yourself.  You will only add fuel to the fire that already burns against me.  You know as well as I that the walls have ears," the prince said, feeling his own anger rise in spite of himself.

            "You have brought this on yourself by your willful disobedience!  If you wish to quash this opposition, you will do as I say and begin to conduct yourself as befits a prince and future king.  You have no choice in this matter.  I have already invited the king and his daughter and you will be in attendance or you will be exiled and I will settle the throne upon someone more worthy."

            The prince could hear his mother's horrified gasp and he clenched his jaw, wanting to explode right back at his father.  "I will be at your farce of a gala, but I will never wed Princess Maria," the prince replied, his voice dangerously low.  With that statement, he turned on his heel and stalked out of his father's chambers.

            Now, two days later, he found himself being rowed around the river in a ridiculous barge with a princess who bored him to tears; that is, when they were actually able to communicate.  It was bad enough that she was the world's greatest simpleton, but the language barrier between them only magnified his irritation.  Besides, it was obvious to him that she had no more interest in him than he had in her.  At dinner, she had been too intent on baring as much of her bosom as possible to the tall, rakishly handsome Lord Westshire to pay much attention to the prince.  She was now pouting in the back of the barge, shrouded in yards and yards of gauzy material while the prince stood at the bow, looking morosely at the stars.  He had spent the past hour thus and was contemplating the wisdom of throwing himself off the boat and swimming across the river so that he could flee to the sanctuary of his castle chambers.

            He was just about to command his servants to put an end to the nonsense when he noticed a commotion taking place on a barge a short distance from him.  Glancing around, he saw that he was not the only one who noticed the commotion.  Every barge in the vicinity had stopped and every neck was craned to look toward Lord Mordrid, Earl of Essex's barge.

            "You worthless bitch.  You impertinent whore!" the man was yelling.

            The prince straightened his back, standing erect now.  He could feel the muscle in his jaw working, the one that always did when he became angry.  And he often became angry with the earl.  There was a strict code of chivalry that existed among his father's knights and peerage that Mordrid repeatedly broke.  None of them were entitled to speak to a woman in this manner.  Mordrid could choose to behave as he would at home, but the prince was livid that he would choose to openly defy the king, especially in front of the Spaniards.

            "Approach that barge," the prince said quietly to his servants.

            "Aye, Your Highness," they replied, instantly changing their course so that they cut through the water swiftly, approaching the barge carrying Mordrid.

            The prince glanced behind him and saw that the Spanish princess's nose was fairly twitching in anticipation of what was to come.  Her eyes were very wide and she had a look of excitement on her face that made the prince turn away in disgust.  Her behavior only gave new strength to his decision not to marry her.  Any woman who took such interest in the prospect of violence was not the sort of woman he wished to wed.

            A woman's cry rang out in the cool night air and he quickly turned his attention back to the barge carrying Mordrid.  He was almost to the barge, only a few yards off, and he could now see what was happening.  A female servant was cowering before Mordrid.  She was on her knees, crying and pleading with him.

            "Please, my lord, have mercy.  I did not mean to displease you.  I am so sorry."

            Mordrid grabbed the woman by the hair, yanking her to her feet violently.  "Sorry?  Do you think that is enough, you stupid little bitch?"  The tone of his voice made even the prince's blood run cold.  "You will pay," Mordrid growled.  He backhanded her with such force that she was thrown from the barge and into the water.  Her terrified scream tore through the night.

            "My lord, I cannot swim.  Please, I beg you..."

            The prince was astounded to see the man snatch an oar from one of his servants and loft it high in the air, presumably with the intention of bringing it down on the woman's head.  She ceased to make a sound and simply closed her eyes, waiting for the blow with a sort of resignation that made the prince's heart bleed for her.  He felt rage washing over him.  His barge was almost next to the earl's.  Just as the man began to bring the oar down, the prince's barge reached Mordrid's and the prince reached out, catching the oar and wrenching it from the earl's grasp.  The earl let out an angry yelp and was about to turn his wrath on the prince when he saw who it was.  Instead, he sunk to one knee.

            "Your Highness," he murmured, as if nothing at all had happened.

            "Kindly help that poor woman into my barge," the prince said to his servants, careful to keep his voice even.  "Rise, Mordrid."  

            The man stood and gave the prince a mocking smile, causing the prince's anger to intensify.  "I apologize for the interruption, Your Highness.  I can see that I unfortunately interrupted a pleasant diversion."  He turned a lascivious gaze on the princess, causing her to giggle shamelessly.  The earl smiled broadly.

The prince ignored them both.  "Once again, Mordrid, you have chosen to openly defy the king's authority and in front of our Spanish friends.  What have you to say for yourself?"  The prince's voice was deadly calm and the earl's eyes flashed as he turned to address his sovereign.

            "I humbly ask that you forgive my trespass," the earl said.  His voice had a sarcastic edge to it, but the prince refused to be provoked.

            "Rest assured, Mordrid, that this trespass will be the last of many."  He gave the earl an angry grin.  "I will address this occurrence with my father, the king.  I do believe that His Majesty's patience with you has run out.  His Majesty most certainly will not tolerate the embarrassment that you have brought upon him in front of his most honorable guests."

            The earl shot him a look of pure hatred.  "Perhaps His Majesty will have a different opinion."

            "Oh, I assure you that this is one matter upon which His Majesty and I are in perfect agreement.  The king demands total compliance with his code of chivalry.  Your transgression is tantamount to treason."

            "She is a mere servant wench.  His Majesty will surely overlook..."  The prince could now see the fear in Mordrid's eyes that was caused by the use of the word treason.

            "The code of chivalry clearly states that _all_ women shall be treated with reverence.  You know that as well as I.  My men will be happy to escort you to your accommodations for the night."  The prince turned to his men, immediately dismissing Mordrid.  "Take him away.  The very sight of him disgusts me and makes a mockery of all that England holds most dear."

            He could see a look of approval and admiration in the eyes of his father's men.  He fully turned his back on Mordrid, turning towards the servant woman and the Princess of Spain.  The Spanish woman's eyes were as wide as saucers and, as she looked at the servant woman, her nose wrinkled in distaste.  The prince shot her a look of sheer disgust and then ignored her too, concentrating all of his attention on the woman he had rescued.

            She was huddled in a sort of ball, shrinking away from the gentle touch of the servants.  She clutched her knees tightly to her chest, rocking herself slightly as she cried.  Her face was mostly hidden, but the prince could see a bright purple bruise marring her forehead.  She was soaked to the skin and was shivering violently.  The prince frowned in concern and then knelt down in front of the woman.

            "Are you all right?" he asked, his voice very quiet and gentle.

            The woman gave a prolonged shudder at the sound of his voice, burying her face deeper into her knees.  Now the prince was truly worried.  He looked up at his men, indicating that they should move the barge back to the dock.  He wanted to get the woman some medical attention and had already decided that he would call his own physician to attend to her.  He felt a surge of fury for the bastard Mordrid and then returned his attentions to the woman.  He took his voluminous cape off and reached out slowly, draping it across her shoulders gently.  She gasped loudly and jumped, causing her to sprawl backwards so that her entire face was now exposed.  The prince was horrified to see that it was livid with bruises and that blood was beginning to flow again from a wound on her right cheek and from her split lip.

            "I will not hurt you," he said softly, approaching her again slowly.  "You are bleeding.  Please, allow me to help you."

The woman finally looked up at him and when she did, even through her shock and fear, he could see recognition and amazement spread across her face.  Before he knew what was happening, she had thrown herself at his feet and was kissing his boots.

            "Oh, Your Highness, please forgive my insolence.  God bless Your Highness for your chivalry.  I owe you my life.  Please, allow me to call myself your most humble servant."

            As he looked down at the bedraggled woman, the prince felt a surge of pity mingle with his worry.  "Maiden, please do not prostrate yourself this way.  You are injured and my only care is to be of assistance to you."

            "Oh, nay, Your Highness.  You must not lower yourself so.  I am perfectly all right," she said, hastily.  She quickly rose to her feet, wanting to prove it to him, but she swayed and would have fallen if the prince had not moved quickly to catch her.  She immediately tried to pull herself from his arms, but he gently lowered her back to the floor of the barge so that he could try to stave the flow of blood from her wounds.  Fortunately, she was too physically weak to continue to put up a fight but the mortified look in her eyes was almost worse than her vocal protests.  The prince dabbed at her wounds gingerly, but she refused to meet his concerned gaze.

            "Have you any other injuries?  Tell me, is this the first time that the earl has mistreated you so?" the prince demanded once he had managed to all but stop the ooze of her wounds.  

            "I-I deserved the punishment," she said.  He could tell that she was terrified to say anything against her master.

            "Nay, you did not," the prince said firmly.  He moved his head around until he had finally captured her gaze.  "My father does not permit such savagery in his kingdom.  Such treatment of women is not to be tolerated.  The earl knew that and he chose to openly defy the king's edict.  He is the one who deserves to be punished."

            The woman did not reply.  She merely averted her eyes and then looked in dismay at the cape she was wearing, as if it was the first time she had noticed she was wearing it.  He could see a look of dawning horror spread across her face as she saw the state of it.  It was made of fine red velvet, elaborately embroidered with gold thread and edged in ermine, and showed large watermarks where it had absorbed the water from her wet clothing.  She quickly scrambled out of it as her bruised, swollen eyes filled with tears once again.

            "I have ruined Your Highness's cape.  Oh, forgive me."  She buried her face in her hands and he noticed how red and raw they were.

            The prince gently, but deliberately, picked the cape up and draped it around her once again.  "'Tis only a cape and 'tis I who ruined it, and I did so purposely.  I do not wish to see you fall ill."

            "My sincerest thanks, Your Highness," she replied, her voice muffled behind her hands.

            They had finally reached the dock and, to the woman's obvious horror, the prince scooped her up in his arms and carried her off his barge, ordering his men to summon the physician.  He carried her all the way to the castle, moving through the throng of people without really noticing them.  The spectacle caused much excitement, inspiring some distaste among the peerage and admiration among those of the lower classes.

            Some of the servant women had hastily prepared a bed for the patient and he laid her down on it, waiting at her side until the doctor came to examine her.  Mercifully, she had passed out from sheer exhaustion and the trauma of her injuries and so she made no protest at his presence.  In a matter of moments, the prince's physician entered the chamber, bowing before the prince.

            "Alward, I want you to attend to this woman as carefully as if you were attending me.  I will send my scribe to take your report.  I request an audience with you on the morrow so that you may give me a full report of all injuries suffered.  We shall then meet with His Majesty so that he may pass his judgment."

            "Aye, Your Highness," the physician said, bowing again.

            "You have my complete trust," the prince said.  He briefly touched his hand to the man's shoulder as he left the chamber.

            In the quiet of his own chambers, he paced the floor restlessly, giving free reign to his own thoughts.  In spite of his differences from his father, he had a great deal of respect and admiration for him and for the way he ruled his kingdom.  He was truly angered that Mordrid had committed this final insult against his sovereign.  The prince hated the man because he found him a ruthless, cruel, and faithless person, but also because he seemed to enjoy openly challenging the authority of his king.  The prince did not believe that his father would need much convincing, but he was determined to make a case for the immediate banishment of Mordrid, stripping him of title, wealth, and property.  As long as things remained as they were, the prince feared that Mordrid would be a threat to the throne.

            At last, the prince stopped pacing.  Wearily, he leaned against one of the massive, ornate posts of his bed as his thoughts turned to the woman.  He had never seen such a pitiful creature in all of his life and it sickened him to think that such suffering could exist in his father's kingdom.  He also decided that he would ask his father to keep her in the castle, where she was sure to be safe from Mordrid.  After all, they could always use another chambermaid.  He was slightly bothered at the thought, but he knew it was the natural order of the world, that such a woman was meant to be a servant.  Everyone knew that this natural order was ordained by God. 

            His thoughts turned to the appearance of the woman he had saved.  He could tell that she was young, probably no more than eighteen years of age.  In spite of her battered face, he could see that she was a lovely woman.  She had wide, soft brown eyes, a straight nose, and full, well-formed lips.  He hadn't been able to tell what color her hair was because it had been soaking, but he had noticed the curly tendrils that had escaped during her struggle with Mordrid.  The rest of her hair had been perilously close to tumbling out of the roll that had once sat at the nape of her neck.

            Finally, the prince could no longer fight off his own exhaustion.  He had dismissed his servants as soon as he returned to his chambers, so he undressed himself slowly, wearily pulling his fine linen sleep shirt over his head.  He fell asleep almost as soon as his head touched his pillows, his dreams filled with the image of the young woman's terrified face.  His last thought before he slept was that he did not yet know her name.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

            She had been nervous all that day.  Lord Mordrid was in a foul mood, which always boded ill for her.  His best hunting dog had run away and he had suffered great losses during his gambling binge the previous night.  What was more, he had come home drunker than ever before and spent the whole day suffering from its ill effects.  She could only hope that he would go seek solace in his favorite whorehouse and leave her be.

            It was hard for her to believe that she had ever once been happy.  The previous earl had been a decent man and his wife had been quite kind.  Her parents had been their servants for many years, and the earl and his wife had allowed them to marry.  When she was born, the countess even agreed to give her mother two days' leave.  Although her parents had been busy, hard-working servants, they had always had time with her and had lavished their love on her.  The countess took a shine to her, pleased with her inquisitiveness and her mild temper.  She had been a very quiet child, which was pleasing to the countess, who frequently suffered from intense headaches.  In fact, the countess had nearly found the servant child more pleasing than her own child, the future earl.  She took the girl under her wing, allowing her to be taught how to read and write and how to stitch, as well as some of the more refined arts that were nearly always reserved for women of a higher class.  The young servant had spent many a happy hour at her mistress's side, reading to her or conversing with her on a diverse number of subjects.  And, when the day was done, she returned to the open arms of her parents, where she knew true peace.

            The aforementioned future earl grew up and, as he did, began to take notice of the much younger servant girl.  He had always been somewhat jealous of the attention she received from his mother and had occasionally tormented her by boxing her ears or pulling at one of her curls.  However, he grew more and more wicked as he grew older and older, until all of the servants began to be afraid of him.

            Fortunately, shortly after her twelfth birthday, the then eighteen-year-old young earl left his parents' country home for their home near the castle, where he could move amongst the members of the king's court more easily.  He returned to the country two years later, after the death of his father.  He had gained possession of the title and the wealth that came with it and was grown even more ruthless and wicked than ever.  During his absence, the servant girl had begun to blossom into womanhood, which the earl did not fail to notice.  He would catch her alone in the hallways and pin her against the wall with his hard, repugnant body and laugh at her as she cried and pleaded for the preservation of her chastity.

            Still, the servant woman did not know true unhappiness.  As cruel as the earl was, his mother was still alive and still present to protect her from his unwanted advances.  Moreover, she still had her own parents to turn to, who loved her more than ever before and showed her whenever they had the chance.  At last, the earl left again to rejoin the court and the servant breathed a sigh of relief, certain that he would take a wife and remain at court, leaving her alone at last.  Her happiness was complete, at least temporarily.

            Tragedy struck just after her fifteenth birthday.  Cholera swept through the country mansion, brought on by the damp, chill spring.  Terrified, everyone crept around as silently as possible.  All laughter and joy seemed drained from the house.  The servants took to carrying herbs and building small shrines before which they prayed almost constantly.  After three months, the sickness was over.  Nearly everyone in the house had fallen ill and few had survived.  The sickness had carried off both of her beloved parents as well as the kind countess, but it had spared her, even though she had wished, and even prayed, to join those that she loved in death.

            She was still weak when the earl returned to bury his mother.  He did not pay her much attention at first because he was afraid of taking ill.  However, the reprieve was only temporary and in a month's time, he had settled all affairs and was eager to return to court.  This time, he would take the servant girl with him.

            It was when she reached the earl's home near the court that her true miseries began.  The earl's previous overtures to her had been nothing compared to what she suffered almost daily in his household.  He still had not taken a wife, and even though he frequented prostitutes and courtesans, he turned his attentions to the servant more and more often.

            She had grown very beautiful over the years.  She did all she could to minimize it, to try to make herself invisible to the earl, but it was no use.  He was determined to conquer her, but to do it slowly.  She could see a wolfish look in his eyes when he looked into her wide, brown ones and saw the innocence and purity there.  He commented on her golden, curly hair, caressing it and sniffing it with a sort of feral pleasure.  She took to pulling it back from her face into severe rolls and then covering it altogether with small, white caps.  He would then comment on the paleness and perfection of her skin and the lusciousness of her lips.  Worst of all, he took to commenting on the fine line of her bust, on the delicateness of her ankles, leading him to muse aloud before her about what else could be found under her skirts.  He would then grab her and hold her by the waist while his hands would scramble up her skirts.  She always managed to fight him off, but she knew that it was simply because he allowed her to do so.  He was torturing her slowly but surely and when he had managed to break her spirit, he would take what he wanted and she would be powerless to stop him.

            Knowing all of this, it was a relief to the servant when he became angered and would rain blows down upon her.  She would rather he bruised her body than her soul.  She could bear the stain of bruises, but not a stain upon her chastity.  Still, for all that she learned to withstand the blows, they had been intensifying steadily until she began to fear that he would beat her to her death.  This had culminated with the scene on the river while the prince sat on his barge with the Princess of Spain.  The servant had grown so weary that she had closed her eyes and accepted certain death before the prince had intervened.

            And so, when she woke the morning after her ordeal, she sat bolt upright in bed and began to jabber nervously.  The last three years of her life had been such a hell that she could not believe that she found herself in a clean, white bed wearing a clean, white gown.  The servant women came to soothe her, gently pushing her back against the pillows and speaking nonsense to her until she grew calm again.  They then began speaking of her as if she were not there.

            "The poor li'l soul," one woman said sympathetically, as she cast a benevolent gaze at the servant.  The woman was old and very wrinkled, but she looked like some sort of loving grandmother and so the servant felt the clenching bands across her chest slowly relax.

            "Who'd 'ave ever thought the earl was such a beastly man?  'e 'as such courtly manners," another woman replied.  This one was very, very thin so that her bones poked out and made her look sickly.  Her skin was pasty white and she was quite homely, but her voice was extraordinarily lovely.  It soothed the servant girl.

            The women continued to chat until the physician arrived.  He had a long, gray beard and wore a long black robe and frowned whenever he was deep in thought.  He came up to her and peered at her over the rims of the spectacles that he wore perched on the edge of his nose.

            "She is quite battered and she did take a chill, but she runs no fever.  I will dress her wounds and they will heal soon enough.  She will be fine.  I do not believe there will be any lasting damage," he told the young man who was with him.  This one was dressed in breeches, a shirt and jerkin, and tall brown boots and carried a quill and parchment.  The servant could tell that he was a scribe.  The man nodded and scribbled on his paper.

            "I shall carry your report to His Highness, the prince," the scribe said.  

            "Allow me to dress the wounds and then we shall part," the physician replied.  His touch was very gentle, almost soothing.  He seemed very wise and the servant was surprised to find herself quite at ease with him.  He worked quickly and soon the two men were preparing to leave.  Just as they reached the doorway, they quickly dropped to one knee, bowing and scraping.  The servant turned her head curiously to see what was happening and saw that the prince was standing in her doorway, looking at her.

            He was really quite magnificent to look at, though she quickly averted her eyes out of a sense of propriety.  He wore his striking red-brown hair pulled back in a neat ponytail, which curled elegantly against the back of his neck.  She could not see the color of his eyes, but she could see that his face was very pleasant and kind looking.  His body was broad through the shoulders and chest and looked very powerful.  His elaborately embroidered blue velvet doublet and breeches accented his powerful build.  He wore snug black leather boots that hugged his well-formed calves.  An elegant blue velvet cape with an enormous gold clasp was thrown back over one shoulder.

            "Please, rise gentlemen.  How is the woman?" he said, his voice melodious and deep.

            "She appears to have been beaten quite brutally, and not just last night.  She bears some bruises and cuts, which show varying stages of the healing process as well, and I saw several scars.  She must feel pain, but she will recover.  She is in shock, but she did not fall feverish during the night," the physician reported.

            "I am very glad to hear it.  You have served me very well.  Now, I wish to see her and attempt to speak with her one last time before we have our audience with His Majesty," the prince said.

            "Aye, Your Highness," the two men replied, bowing and stepping aside to let him by.

            She kept her eyes averted as he approached her bed.  She did not look up even when he was standing before her, so he pulled a stool over to her bedside and sat down, forcing her to look at him as he had the night before.  She found it very hard to breathe with him so near.  As she raised her gaze to his, she could see him wince at the state of her face and she felt sheer horror.  It was bad enough that someone as lowly as she should be presented to His Royal Highness the prince, but especially humbling to have it happen when her appearance was so offensive.

            "Do you know where you are?" he asked her, but she remained silent, afraid to speak.

            "Can you speak?" he asked, at last.  She looked at him with frightened eyes.

            "Everything is all right," he said, his voice so gentle she wanted to weep.  "You are safe here and my physician will take good care of you.  What is your name?"

            "Keelin," she said, deciding that it was better to speak.  Her voice sounded all croaky and she felt more inadequate then ever.  She was not really afraid of the prince.  After all, he seemed a kind enough man.  It was more that she was so in awe of him that it made her feel sensations quite similar to regular fear.

            "Keelin," he repeated, almost as if testing the sound.  "And how long have you been in the service of the Earl of Essex?"

            "I was born into his lordship's service, Your Highness," she said.  She had to speak very slowly because her throat felt very scratchy and her cut and swollen lips made it hard to form the words.  "My parents served the former earl and countess."

            "I see," the prince replied thoughtfully.  "You were born here then."

            "Nay," she said, her voice not much more than a whisper.  "Your Highness, I lived at his lordship's country estate and have been here just these three years past."

            "How old are you?"

            "I have just entered my eighteenth year, Your Highness," she replied.  She plucked at her covers nervously.  She wanted to clutch her dressing gown closely about her throat, but she did not want the prince to think she believed him to have evil intentions.  Instead, she picked at the blanket.

            "And how has the earl treated you throughout your life?"

            She swallowed nervously and shifted her gaze away from his, staring intently at her plucking fingers.  She felt the bile rise into her throat as panic seized her.  Surely she could not tell him the truth.  She knew the order of things.  If she were to speak ill of her master, they would think her willful and disobedient and she would be punished accordingly.  She remained silent, hoping the prince would give up and go away, but he did not.

            "Can you not answer me?" he asked, at last.

            Now she was truly scared and knew she was trapped.  She would have to give him some sort of response now and she searched frantically for just the right one.  "His lordship has been a fair master, provided me with food, clothing, and shelter, Your Highness," she replied.  She could not keep the quiver from her voice and she felt the dangerous prick of tears in her eyes.  Her plucking became even more urgent.

            "You are not telling the truth," the prince stated bluntly, his voice sounding very angry.  She felt as if her heart had stopped as she darted a quick look at his face.  It was tense with barely controlled rage.

            "Upon my honor, Your Highness, I swear that I am telling the truth," she said, desperately.  She cursed herself as she lost control and the tears spilled from her eyes.  She knew that her punishment would be severe, that the earl would be savage with anger at the trouble she had caused him.

            "I want you to look me directly in the eye and swear upon all that is holy that you are telling me the truth," the prince said, his words slow and distinct.

            She fearfully raised her eyes to his steady gaze and felt what was left of her self-command crumble.  She burst into tears of unadulterated terror.  "Please, Your Highness, believe what I say," she begged between sobs.

            The prince's expression changed, softening as he looked at her and when he spoke his voice was low and soothing.  "Do not cry," he said to her.  "You need not shed any more tears.  I know you fear punishment from your master, but you have no need.  You shall never return to the service of the earl.  You will remain here where you are safe.  'Tis the earl who shall be punished, for his defiance of his king."

            Keelin gazed at him fearfully, not quite believing that what he said was true.  She feared that it was all a dream or that the prince was mistaken.  He met her gaze directly and she could see determination in it, causing her to feel a small wash of relief.  Still, she could not speak for fear that her words would change the prince's mind.

            "I can see that you are very weary," he said, at last.  "I shall take my leave of you now so that you may rest.  'Tis my wish that you have a swift and full recovery.  And I give you my word of honor as prince of England that you shall remain here and that you shall be safe for all the rest of your days."  With those words, he rose and was about to turn away from her when she seized his right hand and kissed the royal ring that he wore upon it.

            "Your Highness is most merciful.  I am forever in Your Highness's debt and shall make it my mission in life to serve you in the hopes that I may one day be worthy of such mercy," she declared passionately.  She could see the startled look in his eyes and she immediately dropped his hand, bowing her head.  She heard him clear his throat as if he was about to reply, but then he turned and left the chamber.  She was too mortified to watch him leave and so she resumed her nervous plucking at the blanket.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The king and the queen were waiting in the king's study when the prince entered, followed by his scribe and the doctor.  All three men bowed at the doorway before entering the chamber.  The king had been pacing restlessly and gave his son an expectant look.

            "Well?" he queried.  "Would you care to tell me why the Earl of Essex spent the night on a cold floor in a prison cell?"

            "You did not release him, did you?" the prince asked immediately.

            "Nay and you had better have a good reason why I should not do so," the king countered.

            "I believe I do," the prince said firmly.  He glanced over at his mother, who was wringing her hands and watching him with a worried look.  "Last night while the princess and I were on our barge, I noticed a commotion coming from that of Mordrid.  He was beating one of his servants in plain view of every other barge upon the river.  As I approached his barge, he struck her with such force that he knocked her into the river.  She begged for his mercy, crying out that she could not swim and he replied by lofting an oar into the air.  He was bringing it down toward her head when I reached him and stopped him.  My servants rescued the girl and I had him detained for the night.  I asked my good physician Alward to examine her so that I might ascertain if this was an isolated incident."  The prince could hear his mother gasp at the tale and the king's expression became very grave.  He turned his attention to the physician.

            "And what did you discover, Alward?" he asked.

            "Your Majesty, 'tis apparent that the girl has been severely mistreated for quite some time.  She bears many bruises and scars, but refused to explain how she obtained any of them.  She merely told me that she was clumsy and would not speak to me any more.  She appeared to me to be quite afraid of saying anything against her master."  Alward replied.

            No one in the chamber could miss the flash of anger that crossed the king's face.  He began pacing the chamber, tugging at his beard in contemplation.  The prince could see that he was loath to strip a member of the peerage of his title and his position.  Such action always caused a great commotion and the king always feared any action that might disturb the peace of his people.  However, the prince also knew that his father was very likely enraged at Mordrid's show of defiance.  The king knew himself to be sovereign and he always expected total compliance with his laws and creeds.  The king paced for a moment longer before turning to his son.

            "Rhain, I wish to see the young woman in order to decide on my next course of action," he said.

            The prince was satisfied with his father's wishes.  He was sure that once the king saw the severity of the girl's injuries with his own eyes there would be no doubt in his mind that Mordrid should be stripped and banished.  The prince glanced over at his mother and saw the anxiety in her eyes.

            "Is she really so badly off?" she asked.

            "I am afraid so, mother," Prince Rhain responded.

            "Then I shall come to see her also.  I wish to offer her the services of my maids," the queen said.  Her son smiled at her.  He loved his mother more than any other person in the world.  He thought her the sweetest and dearest woman on Earth and he was always touched by the kindness she frequently showed others.

            "Very well, my dear," the king said.  "You shall accompany us.  If the girl truly is so injured, it may do very well for your maids to serve her."

            The small party set out for the part of the castle where the girl lay.  As they arrived at her door, the physician stopped them and requested that he be allowed a moment with her before the royal family entered.

            "'Twas apparent to me this morning that she felt too inferior to be seen by His Highness the prince alone and I fear she may be shocked to see the entire royal family in attendance.  I request a moment to help prepare her for the honor," Alward said.

            "I see that she has a proper sense of the way of the world," the king said, approvingly.  "You may enter and help her to prepare."

            "My thanks, Your Highness," the physician said respectfully.  He bowed before the king and then entered the chamber of his patient.

            "Mother, I hope you will not be shocked by what you are about to see," the prince said.  "I have never seen a woman show such evidence of ill treatment by a man.  I may not have believed it possible if I had not myself seen Mordrid strike her with his own hand."

            "Odious man," his mother sniffed.  "He has never shown the proper respect for you, my Lord," she said, addressing her husband.  "And I always felt that he was rather lacking in deference to me, as well."

            "I have observed his failure to exhibit a sense of propriety many times," the king responded.  "If this girl is really as badly injured as my son says, 'tis the last piece of evidence of Mordrid's disregard for the sovereignty of my throne that I need in order to take action against him."

            Rhain felt a sense of relief at his father's declaration.  So he too had not failed to notice that Mordrid did not show his sovereign a proper degree of respect.  The prince had been somewhat afraid that his father might simply let Mordrid off with a warning.  However, it seemed that his statement to Mordrid on the previous night had been very accurate, that he and his father did agree on this one issue.

            The physician came to the door and summoned the royal family.  Rhain could see that the girl was sitting up in bed, as she had been that morning.  She was wearing the same white dressing gown and white cap that she had been wearing earlier, but her face now wore an expression that was a mixture of humiliation and fear.  Her anxiety had drained her face of all color and the pale hue of her skin caused her bruises to stand out much more vividly.  The prince could hear his mother's soft gasp of surprise and he saw the angry look that passed over his father's features.

            The king approached the bed, causing the girl to look as if she would faint from fear.  The king noticed and spoke gently to her.  "You have nothing to fear, my child.  I wish to hear what you have to say about your master.  Is it true that he attacked you last night, while you were on his barge?"

            Suddenly, the girl prostrated herself on the bed.  "Oh, Your Most Excellent Majesty, please forgive me.  I am not worthy of receiving you and I apologize most heartily."

            Everyone in the chamber looked surprised, but the king's expression was also mixed with some degree of approval.  The prince, while not quite agreeing with the fact that the girl felt she must prostrate herself to the king in this manner, was relieved that she did so because it pleased his father.  He could tell that the king would now take what she said very seriously.

            "Please, my child, do not prostrate yourself so.  Rest against your pillow now, you are injured.  I am gratified by the propriety of your address, but I do not wish you to fear me.  I am here seeking a truth which only you may provide," the king said.

            The girl uneasily pulled herself back into a sitting position on the bed, but the prince could see that she was still very pale.  He saw her eyes flicker very briefly to his mother and then over to him.  He felt curiously touched by the sight of the poor creature.

            The king seated himself at the girl's bedside and asked her to look at him, which she immediately did, with a look of utter respect and worship on her face.

            "Tell me, my dear, is it true that The Earl of Essex is your master?" the king asked.

            "Aye, Your Majesty," she responded.

            "And were you with him on his barge last night?"

            The prince could see that the girl sensed danger.  Her back stiffened and when she replied, her voice was barely audible.  "Aye, Your Majesty."

            The king decided to try a different tact.  "My son tells me that the earl struck you, causing you to fall into the water and that the earl would not assist you when you begged for his help.  Is that also true?"

            It was a clever tactic.  In spite of her fear of punishment from the earl, it was obvious that she would not dare to contradict the prince's testimony.  "Aye, Your Majesty," she replied, faintly.

            "Is it also true that my son took you on his barge and brought you here himself?"

            "Aye, Your Majesty."

            "Now, my child, I wish to ask you some more questions.  You have my protection from all harm and I wish you to speak nothing but the truth to me.  The good doctor says that you bear many scars.  Were these the result of clumsiness on your part, as you told the doctor?"

            The girl looked up at the king miserably.  Tears rolled down her face and her words were interrupted by small sobs.  "Nay, Your Majesty, forgive me for lying.  I am very afraid of my master and so I lied."

            "You are forgiven," he told the girl.  "Is the earl a harsh master?"

            "Aye, Your Majesty," she whispered.  

            "And has he struck you without provocation before, as he did last night?"

            "Aye, Your Majesty."  Her voice was now lower than ever and she positively refused to look up at the king.  Rhain saw his father nod.

            "Thank you, my child, for bringing this to my attention.  The earl deserves to be severely punished for openly defying me.  I shall perceive any threat to you as a direct threat to my throne in the future.  You have my word of honor."

            The girl seized the edge of the king's sleeve and kissed it reverently.  "Your Majesty is most merciful and kind," she responded.  "I am Your Majesty's most humble servant."

            "Rest yourself now," the king said, placing the flat of his palm briefly on her forehead, like some sort of benediction.

            With that, the king turned from the bed and took his wife's arm.  The two of them left the chamber together and Prince Rhain followed.  He was satisfied with the interview between his father and the servant girl and was eager to hear what his father had in mind as a means of punishment for the earl.  

            "My son," his father said, "I approve of your having the earl arrested.  'Tis my decision to consider his actions as a manifestation of his treasonous heart.  As a result, he will be stripped of his title and his heritage and shall be banished from my kingdom and may only return on pain of death."

            "You are most wise, father," Rhain said, approvingly.  He felt a sense of relief that his father would be rid of the threat of The Earl of Essex and he also felt a sense of justice.  He was pleased that his father had fully defended the poor young woman that now lay in the castle.****


	4. Chapter 4

Lollipop – Thanks for all your support and feedback!  I know that Keelin hasn't been very well developed up to this point so I hope the next few chapters will be more helpful in establishing her character.  I haven't even scratched the surface with her yet!  As for the prince's name, it's Celtic and is pronounced "hra-in."  And now, without further ado…

**Chapter 4**

Keelin was too weak for another few days to rise from her bed, in spite of her best efforts.  She was determined to get out of the bed and get to work as soon as she was able so that she could attempt to repay the king's kindness with her faithful service.  Much to her relief, none of the members of the royal family paid her any repeat visits.

            When she was finally able to rise from her bed, she brushed off the assistance of the other servants.  They realized that it was wiser to leave her to her own resources and, truth be told, they were all glad to return to their regular duties.  As soon as the queen's maids were clear of her door, Keelin could hear their happy chatter as they returned to their mistress.  She could not blame them.  Throughout her convalescence, she had felt somewhat envious of the queen's ladies.  Their manners were so refined.  Some of them were very beautiful and all of them wore exquisite clothing, far nicer than anything Keelin had ever dreamed of wearing.  She could see that they were used to an elaborate, courtly lifestyle.  Waiting on the queen certainly had to be far more glorious than being bored to tears by an injured peasant woman.  She was sure that she would feel the same if she were in their situation.

            In spite of her show of bravado, the servant still felt very weak and sick.  She almost wept as she dressed herself, unable to avert her eyes from the horrible signs of abuse that still remained on her body.  She had never taken much pride in her appearance, had never allowed herself to be tempted by vanity, yet it was still terrible to her to see her body in such a state.  Her only comfort was the knowledge that her body would repair itself with time and that she was now safe from The Earl of Essex.

            One of the queen's maids had arrived with the news the morning after the royal family had paid her a visit.  She had announced that the man had been stripped of his title and property and banished from England for as long as he should live.  If he dared return, his punishment would be death.  Keelin was surprised at the severity of the punishment and did not quite feel that she was worth so much trouble.  She was also having difficulty shaking the terrible feeling of foreboding that stole over her from time to time.  She could not believe that the earl would just disappear and that would be the end of it.  He was a very dangerous man and Keelin knew that she would fear him for as long as he should live.

            The other interesting piece of gossip that had been bandied around her sickbed had to do with the prince.  The queen's maids had discussed it only when they thought she was asleep.  They were loath to have anyone hear them talking so freely about the royal family, even this insignificant servant girl.  Once they felt that she was safely unconscious, they began to talk excitedly about how he had refused to marry Princess Maria of Spain.  They took great pleasure in talking about how angry the king was and how strained the relations between the two men were.  They also took great pleasure in discussing the prince's attributes in extensive detail and giggling insipidly over every little attention he had ever paid to them.  Keelin could remember when one of them was in a state of ecstasy over a comment that the prince had made about her kindness to his mother.  Keelin found these conversations distasteful.  The women made a sport of competing with one another for the slightest bit of attention from the prince.  Keelin could tell that they were all dreaming of one day being queen, but that not one of them dared tell the others.  She found them so stupid and so vain that she was also extremely relieved when she was well enough for them to leave.

            She had just finished dressing herself when a servant that she had never seen before entered the chamber.  Even though she did not know her, Keelin could tell that this was a woman in control.  She projected an air of superiority and of slight distaste in Keelin's direction.

            "Well, well, well, I see you 'ave finally decided to stop being a sluggard," the woman said and Keelin was taken aback.  She had a sharp, unpleasant voice and Keelin was shocked at how angry the woman seemed to be with her.

            "I-I am sorry," she stuttered nervously.  "I-I tried to rise sooner, but..."

            "I care for none of your excuses," the woman said, almost shrilly.  "All I care about is that you are now ready for work.  And work you will.  There is a position for you as a scullery maid.  You are to begin immediately."

            Keelin was surprised.  She had not expected to be made one of the queen's maids, but she had also not expected such a low form of labor.  Still, she was humble and did not feel herself to be above such work and so she raised her chin and looked the woman steadily in the eye.

            "Aye, Madame.  I shall begin immediately and I shall strive to please," she said, keeping her voice even and strong.  She would not cower and simper in front of this woman.  

            "Follow me," was the curt reply.

            Keelin followed her out of the chamber, casting only a brief glance back at the chamber that had been her home these past few days, the chamber in which she had met with the entire royal family.  The woman led her through a maze of corridors and Keelin was a bit fearful of the hustle and bustle of the castle, of the booming voices of the knights, of the way some of servant men leered at her, their faces filthy and their teeth—what was left of them—yellow and rotten.  She was relieved when the woman finally led her into the scullery, handed her a dish, and showed her where the scrubbing sand was.  

            "I expect a decent day's work out of you," the woman said harshly.  And then she was gone.

            Keelin toiled long and hard for many hours.  She bit her injured lip gingerly, trying to ignore the throbbing pain that the hard labor sent through her injured limbs.  None of the other woman would talk to her.  They looked her up and down and sneered at her, turning to gossip with one another.  Keelin did not understand why they shunned her so, but she did her best to ignore it, keeping her head high and her face serene as she worked.  She nearly wept with relief when it was finally time for a meal and a break.  She was given a dry, burnt crust of bread and a small mug of water for dinner.  She ate quickly and hungrily, and then decided that she needed a quick breath of air before retiring to bed.  She did not think it would be difficult for her to find someone who would be so kind as to tell her how to get to the nearest courtyard.  Instead, the only courtesy that she received was a vague set of directions from one of the other servants who made a face, as if she were being forced to speak to the vermin that skittered across the floor.  Keelin held her back rigid as she walked from the kitchen.

            As soon as she was away from the critical eyes of the woman, she allowed her spine to slump, allowed her body to give in to the pain and weakness that she had been trying to conceal all day.  She ran her forearm across her sweaty forehead and then wearily pushed a strand of hair back into her servant's cap.  She shuffled forward, closing her eyes and putting a hand to the back of her aching neck.  She nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt herself bump into another human being.  

            "Whoa," a gentle voice said as an equally gentle hand reached out and steadied her.  "You may want to keep your eyes open when walking through these halls."  The voice was warm with a subtle hint of humor.

            "Forgive me," Keelin mumbled.  The words died on her lips as she looked up and saw that it was none other than the prince that she had run into!  "Your Highness," she said, her voice horrified.  She immediately dropped to one knee before him, lowering her eyes to the floor.  "I-I did not see you."

            "Please, arise," he said.  "The fault was my own."

            Keelin rose, but kept her eyes averted from his face.  She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye and watched as the expression on his face changed to one of recognition.

            "Keelin?" he asked.  She was shocked that he had remembered her name.  "Are you out of bed already?"

            "I could not allow myself to impose on Your Majesties' kindness any longer," Keelin replied, voice low and eyes averted.

            She could feel his gaze travel the length of her.  Peeking out of the corner of one eye, she could see him frown.  She was suddenly worried, sure that he was not fooled by her show of strength.

            "Are you certain that you are well?" he asked her.

            "Oh, quite, Your Highness," she replied.

            The prince apparently decided to change the subject.  "Have you been given work?"

            "Aye, I have just finished for the day, Your Highness."

            "Are you satisfied with your position?"  He was now studying her intently and Keelin felt the insane urge to flee his assessing glance.  She folded her hands and hid them in her apron so that he could not see how red and raw they were.  She forced a broad smile onto her face and raised her gaze to his.

            "Aye, Your Highness," she said.  "I have never been so satisfied in all my life.  To work in His Majesty's palace is a great honor."

            "Of course you would say something like that," he said, his voice soft.  "You are very humble and grateful for any small kindness done to you.  But I would not have you unhappy and would wish to know if anything could be done to improve your situation."

            Once again, Keelin was surprised.  She could not believe that the prince could possibly care at all about her situation.  She was sure that he must have much grander things to worry about and, after all, she was only a lowly servant.  She couldn't help but wonder if he took this much of a personal interest in the lives of all of his servants, but that thought was pure vanity and she banished it immediately.

            "There is nothing that could possibly be done to improve my situation.  I consider myself the most fortunate woman in all of England, Your Highness," she said, simply.

            The prince gazed at her intently for a moment.  He opened his mouth as if to speak when the sound of a booming, male voice suddenly filled the hallway.

            "Rhain!  There you are," the voice said.

            The prince turned around to see who it was and Keelin caught a glimpse of one of the king's knights.  The man was very large and very imposing, but Keelin felt such a sense of relief at his appearance that she could have kissed him, unruly beard and all.  She immediately sank into a low curtsey.

            "Your Highness," she murmured.  Then she turned and fled, walking as swiftly as she could without breaking into a run.

            "Who was that?" she could hear the knight ask.  She was around the corner and out of the hall before she could hear the prince's reply.

*****

            The prince was surprised when he ran into the young servant in the hallway.  It was difficult for him to believe that she could be well enough to be working again, but she said that she was fine.  Still, she did look awfully pale and the yellowish tinge of her bruises did nothing to lend an illusion of perfect health.  Her eyes were red-rimmed and he had seen her wincing in pain before she had noticed him.  She had looked exhausted and he was very concerned.  His physician, Alward, had only visited her for two days longer after the royal family had been to visit her.  He had then turned her over to the care of the queen's maids.  

            Prince Rhain was worried about the woman.  He had never really noticed servants before, but he was especially concerned with this servant girl because she had once belonged to Mordrid.  He felt that she might have some information concerning her former master that might lend some insight into Mordrid's devious mind.  The prince was very worried that the former earl would exile himself to France, where his friends were many and powerful.  He felt that Mordrid would be a threat to England until his death.

            The prince had decided that he would have to gain the timid girl's confidence.  He desperately needed all of the information that she might possess.  He had not been looking for her, but when he ran into her, he decided to take advantage of the situation.  He had just been about to tell the girl that he thought she should rest further when their meeting was interrupted by Sir Edwyn, one of his father's best knights and the prince's best friend.

            Edwyn was a massive man, nearly a giant, who struck fear into the hearts of his enemies.  He had wild black hair and an unruly black beard matched by fierce black eyes set off by bushy, black brows.  His hands looked as if they could crush a man alive and, indeed, they probably could.  His neck was as thick as a tree trunk and his entire body was one mass of rippling muscle.  In spite of his fierce, almost barbaric looks, Edwyn was actually a very gentle, intelligent, and loyal man.  He had been a great friend to Rhain throughout the years, even saving the prince's life in a battle against France.  Rhain could only wish that every one of his country's men were as trustworthy and brave as his friend.  His friend's booming voice and enormous presence distracted Rhain and by the time he turned around, the servant was gone.

            "Who was that?" Edwyn asked, curiously.  He rarely saw the prince conversing with servants.

            "That was the girl that Mordrid was attempting to kill during Spain's visit," Rhain replied, somewhat distracted.  The servant girl was certainly swift.  He hadn't even seen her leave.  It was as if she had simply disappeared.

            "That was the girl?" Edwyn asked, incredulously.  "You made it sound as though she were on her deathbed.  What is she doing up and around?"

            "She claims that she is well enough to work, but she certainly does not look it."  Rhain frowned thoughtfully.  "She is as timid as a mouse.  I need to gain her confidence for I am certain that she has much valuable information about Mordrid."            

"I see," said Edwyn.  "You wish to use her to help you capture Mordrid.  That is very clever.  But will she talk?  You have led me to believe that she lives in mortal terror of Mordrid."

            "She is hardly to be blamed for that," Rhain told his friend.  "The man beat her nearly to death.  Still, she must know now that she is safe and that she will not be punished for speaking out against the man."

            "Well, then, perhaps she is merely afraid of you," Edwyn suggested.

            Rhain was surprised at the idea.  "Could that be so?"

            "Certainly she cannot think much of herself after such prolonged mistreatment by Mordrid.  Moreover, Mordrid is the only man of any station that she has known for some time.  And, of course, nearly all of the peasantry lives in awe of royalty.  It does not surprise me then that she does not see you as a confidant."

            "You are wise indeed, Edwyn," Rhain sighed.  "I had not thought of that, but I believe that there is truth to what you say.  She was nearly pale as a ghost at the sight of my father and mother and never meets my gaze unless I make it so that she cannot avoid doing so."

            "There you have it," Edwyn said, satisfaction evident in his voice.  "Perhaps you should let me attempt to gain her confidence."

            Rhain laughed merrily at his friend's sincere suggestion.  "She could not be half so afraid of a man such as me if you were to try to gain her confidence.  Perhaps your suggestion is a good one.  She may be so fearful of you that she will run to me for aide."

            Edwyn's face broke into a smile, his pink lips barely showing through his thick, black beard.  "Indeed.  Only the bravest of ladies is willing to give her confidence to such a man as me."

            "If only all men were like you," Rhain said, once again feeling an enormous rush of gratitude for his friend.  "Then all ladies would be protected and more than willing to give you their confidence."

            The two men laughed and Edwyn gave his friend a hearty slap on the back that Rhain knew would leave a mark.  They moved out of the corridor and towards the great hall, where they would dine together.  The king usually dined in his study, among his advisers and stacks of letters, but Rhain customarily dined with his men.  He wanted them to know that he considered them his equals.  As he entered the loud, bawdy hall, he found his thoughts of the servant girl fading away for the time being.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"Oh, look.  'Tis the wench, 'is 'ighness the prince's whore," a voice called as Keelin entered the chamber.  She could hear loud, raucous laughter from the other scullery women.

            "Perhaps when 'is 'ighness is finished with 'er, I could 'ave me a go," one of the servant men suggested.  He came up on her from behind, placing an arm around her waist and attempting to plunge his hand down her bodice.  He leered at her and she was sickened by the few black, rotten teeth that were left in his head.  His breath was rancid and his body smell was even worse.

            "Unhand me," she commanded, eyes blazing.  The man brought back many terrifying memories of the earl and she could feel her anger begin to blaze into a blinding rage.

            "Nay.  Give us a kiss first so I can sees what makes you worthy of royalty," the man said.

            Suddenly, everything went red.  Keelin slammed her elbow back into the man's groin with as much force as she could muster.  He howled in pain and attempted to grab her by the neck, but she evaded his grasp.  He fell to the floor and she kicked him soundly in the groin for good measure.  Then she turned on the women.

            "Who wishes to call me the prince's whore to my face?" she challenged.  She could see the shock and fear on the faces of the other women.  "I am no man's whore!" she shouted, her fists clenched at her sides.

            "What's going on in 'ere?" asked a cold voice, cutting through the tension in the chamber.  Keelin turned and saw the ugly, fearsome woman who had led her to the scullery the day before, the woman whose name she now knew to be Nan.  Keelin could feel all of her anger begin to dissipate, but she held onto it to give her strength.  

            "The bitch attacked me," groaned the man on the floor.

            "Pity you 'ave been beat by a woman," Nan replied.  The other women tried to stifle their laughter, succeeding when Nan turned her evil eye on them.  She then turned to Keelin.

            "What right did you 'ave to attack this man?" she asked, her voice like ice.

            Keelin drew herself up, refusing to yield to the woman.  "He attempted to violate me after these women called me His Highness the prince's whore."

            "Well, are you?" Nan demanded.

            "Am I what?" Keelin asked, uncomprehendingly.

            "Are you 'is 'ighness's whore?"

            "I am no man's whore," Keelin said, repeating her earlier defense.  She spoke through clenched teeth.  "And I do not know what gave these women the idea that I am."

            "It may be because you seem to be quite a favorite with the prince," Nan said, sarcastically.  "'e rescued you from The Earl of Essex and then 'ad 'is own physician attend you.  And as if 'is 'ighness's physician were not enough for your _delicate_ constitution, 'er Majesty sent 'er maids to attend you."

            "I saw 'er talkin' to 'is 'ighness in the corridor yesterday," another woman piped up.

            "There you are," Nan said, simply.  "These women do not take kindly to servants what try to live above their station.  We do not tolerate servants what think they are too good to scrub 'is 'ighness's plate."

            "I think nothing of the sort," Keelin said, her voice low and angry.  "You may work me to the bone, force me to do the most disgraceful of tasks, and I will never feel as if I am too good for your work.  I know my place in this world."

            "Then do not forget it," Nan said, hissing the words right into Keelin's face.  Keelin refused to flinch and the woman eventually backed off, giving Keelin an evil smile.  "I think you will make a fine serving wench tonight, once you 'ave finished with your chores as a scullery maid, mind you.  Tonight, you shall serve 'is 'ighness and the knights."

            The other women snickered.  They would normally give their eyeteeth to serve the prince and the knights, but they found it funny to think of Keelin demeaning herself that way.  She could see that they were convinced that she had designs on the prince and that she would be humiliated by having to serve his dinner.  She felt no humiliation, as she did not consider herself as anything more than a mere servant to the king, so she did not feel any sort of work was beneath her station.  However, her anger flared at the thought of having to do double duty.  She knew that Nan had intended this punishment to be twofold.  Keelin suspected that Nan somehow knew that she was still weak and couldn't help but feel that the woman was trying to work her to death.

            "Very well," Keelin answered, holding her chin straight.  She turned away from Nan and ignored the other kitchen woman.  She went to work promptly, scrubbing the crockery and goblets vigorously.  For now, the exercise helped to work off some of her anger, but she knew that it would not be long before the weariness would overtake her.  Still, she would fight it off.  She had survived horrors worse than this in the house of Essex and she now knew that she was strong.  She was determined to survive this new test.       

Still, it did make her sad that the other women hated her so much.  She had hoped to find a friend in the castle, but it seemed that her situation, which had inspired pity among the peerage, merely inspired a sense of jealousy among the peasants.  While they deeply admired the prince for showing such care for a mere peasant, they despised her for being the object of his generosity.  Keelin knew that it was every peasant woman's secret dream to capture the heart of a man of wealth and property who would rescue her from the drudgery of peasant life.  To even think of capturing the heart of a prince was unspeakable.  It was no wonder to her that their attacks against her were so vicious.  Still, she wished that they had the sense to see that she had no designs on the prince.  Even if she had, she knew that there was no chance that he could ever feel that way about her.  He was a prince and was used to fine, beautiful, and noble ladies.  Moreover, to fall in love with a servant would disrupt the natural order of things.  Keelin knew that the prince would never allow that to happen.  Indeed, she felt that he would have to be a fool to do so.  Such an event would compromise the security and happiness of his country and that was something no king or prince should ever risk.

            By the time her shift as scullery maid was to end and her shift as a serving wench was to begin, Keelin was nearly faint with fatigue.  She knew in the dark corners of her mind, those places she tried her best to ignore, that she should not have begun working as early as she had.  She was much weaker than she would allow herself to admit.  However, she was determined to bend her body to her will and so she ignored her fatigue as she lofted an enormously heavy tray onto her shoulder.  She had served The Earl of Essex before, so she knew what to do.  For that, she was grateful.

            Naturally, Nan had decided that Keelin would serve the prince and the most important knights of the realm.  The dinner was always held at long, rectangular tables, with the prince and the best knights seated in the middle of the head table.  The setup allowed the knights to have regular entertainment, which meant that Keelin would have to wind her way through minstrels, players, and other various and assorted entertainers as she served the prince and his knights.  She took a deep breath and walked into the great dining hall, winding her way through the entertainers, her ears ringing from the raucous laughter and song of the knights.  She carried her tray to the prince and knelt very low before him.

            "Long live His Highness," she said.  She placed the tray before him on the table and then bowed before him again.  She then took his goblet and began to fill it with wine.  He picked it up and drank from it, waving his hand in a careless gesture at her.  She was relieved to see that he paid her no attention and she went about her chores as swiftly and unobtrusively as she could.

            She was just about to turn from the table and go to get her next tray when the huge, dark knight who had been the source of her escape the day before noticed her.  His eyes grew wide and he turned to say something in the prince's ear, causing the prince to look up.  As his eyes met hers, she could see the surprise in them.  

            "Your Highness," she said, bowing to him quickly and turning away swiftly.  She did not want to allow him the chance to speak to her.

            She hurried from the great hall and back to the kitchen, her heart racing.  What was it about the man that intimidated her so?  She had always been afraid of The Earl of Essex because of his cruelty, but she had never felt quite so intimidated by the status of him and his friends.  Of course the prince held a position that was infinitely higher than that of the former earl, but she knew it was more than that.  For some reason, she felt as if she were going to jump out of her skin every time he was near.  That was highly unusual for her, as she had prided herself on her skill at being unmoved by the events in her life.  She had learned to turn off her emotions while living with the earl, but every time she was near the prince, it was as if her thoughts and feelings were in an utter turmoil.  She was afraid that they would bubble over.

            As much as she was loath to admit it, she could see that Nan's punishment for her had worked, although not quite the way that Nan had hoped.  She was not humiliated to be serving the prince's dinner.  As a servant, she expected to do such things.  She was, however, extremely on edge at the thought of having to go near him again.  Her anxiety was almost torturous and it took her several minutes before she was able to calm herself enough to carry out the second tray.  She knew that it was going to be a very, very long night.

*****

            Rhain could hardly believe his eyes.  He was dining with Edwyn and the other knights as usual when Edwyn leaned over and whispered to him that their serving wench was the very girl that the prince had rescued from the earl.  He had barely even noticed that there was even a serving wench present before him.  He rarely thought about such things.  He simply took it for granted that his plate and cup would always be full.

            As he turned his head, he caught the girl's eye.  He could see a brief look of agitation on her face, which was hidden when she swept into a quick, low bow, muttered something to him, then turned and quickly moved off through the throng of entertainers.  He did not even have a chance to say anything to her.

            "Why is she serving us tonight?" Edwyn asked.  "She is not the regular serving wench."

            "Nay indeed," the prince said, frowning.  

            "Is she to serve us now?"

            "I know not.  I asked her last night if she was happy with her work.  I wonder that she did not complain."

            "Perhaps she feels that she is in her proper place."         

"I suppose that may be true, but it seems strange to me.  I did not expect to see her made one of my mother's ladies-in-waiting, yet I did not expect to see her serving my dinner."

            "Well, now I see what you were saying last night," Edwyn said to him.  "She looks most sickly indeed.  I am surprised that she can lift the weight of her tray.  She looks as though a good wind would blow her away.  I do not think I have ever seen such a thin girl in all my life."

            "'Tis strange indeed.  She claims she is quite well, yet she cannot possibly be so.  I fear she may work herself to death."

            Edwyn frowned.  "I believe you must speak to her soon.  If something should happen to her, you would lose a valuable source of information about Mordrid."

            "Indeed, I will tell her that I must speak to her.  Then you and I will discuss a course of action."

            Edwyn nodded approvingly.  "That is kinder.  She will talk to you because she knows she must.  Once all is said, she may return to her life as normal."

            As Edwyn spoke, Keelin reappeared in the chamber.  She looked deathly pale and, although she held her head up resolutely, she stumbled as she crossed the chamber.  Rhain could now tell that she was indeed much more ill than she would allow.  It was imperative that he talked to her right away, lest she fell ill again and fail to survive the second illness.  

            As she set the second tray down, Keelin's body swayed for just the slightest second.  She bowed before him and would have hurried off once again, but he beckoned her closer with a gesture.  He saw her wring her hands for a split second before she leaned closer to him.

            "What is Your Highness's wish?" she asked.  Her voice trembled slightly, making Rhain frown.

            "I wish to speak with you," he said to her.

            "To speak with me?" she repeated.

            "Aye.  I wish to speak with you about your former master."

            "I have nothing more to tell Your Highness," she said, her voice taking on a nervous edge.  She was visibly agitated now.

            "Do not fear," he said to her, his voice gentle.  "I will speak with you after I have dined.  You will meet me in the same corridor as yesterday."  He spoke the last sentence gently but firmly, letting her know that there was to be no argument with his wishes.

            "As Your Highness wishes," she said, bowing before him and hurrying off to the kitchen once again.

            Rhain was quiet and thoughtful for the rest of the meal.  Keelin came and went several more times, looking worse each time than the last.  It would be a severe blow to Rhain if he were to lose her.  She was far too valuable a source of information, and he resolved to find her an easier position within the castle.  He could not afford for something to happen to her.

            When he was finished eating, Rhain turned to his friend to bid him farewell.  "Wait for me in your chambers," he told Edwyn.  "I will come to you when I have finished talking with the servant."

            "Aye," Edwyn agreed.

            The two men parted company and Rhain headed into the corridor to look for Keelin.  He found her leaning against the wall, bracing herself against it as if she would fall without its support.  She did not notice him right away, so he was able to observe her for a few seconds.  Her skin looked pale and clammy with sweat.  She raised a trembling hand to her face and wiped at her eyes and forehead.  Her chest heaved mightily, as if she were having trouble breathing.

            "Why is it that you lied to me?" he asked, making his presence known at last.  Her head whirled to the side and she licked her cracked lips nervously. 

            "Li-lied to you?  I-I mean, Your Highness," she said, looking horrified at the slip.  She immediately sunk into a low bow.  He watched as she pulled herself up.  It was obvious that she was in a good deal of pain.

            "Aye, I wish to know why you saw fit to lie to me about the state of your health."  He leveled his gaze with hers, pinning her with his eyes.

            "I am quite well, I assure Your Highness," she said.  She smiled tremulously, but he was not at all fooled.

            "You are not well at all," he replied.  "In fact, you look as if you will soon meet your death if you continue this way."

            "Please, Your Highness.  I am of no concern," she said.

            Rhain frowned deeply and beckoned for her to follow him.  "I wish to speak to you privately," he said.  

She followed, but stayed a very respectful distance behind him.  As he glanced at her over his shoulder, he could see that she could barely keep herself on her feet.  Her body swayed back and forth and she stumbled nearly every other step.  He led her into the chamber that he used as his study.  A fire had already been laid, which he was glad to see.

            "Sit down," he told her, pointing to a stiff, wooden chair.  

            "But I..." she began to protest.

            "Do as I say," he said, his voice coming out somewhat harsher than he had intended.  She looked stricken at his tone and her body began to tremble violently.  He felt a slight twinge of guilt, but shook it off.  "I need to speak with you about something very important."

            Biting her lower lip, she sank into the chair at last.  As she sat, he could see her entire body relax, as if she was almost boneless, and he realized that she must be nearly sick with fatigue.  He decided to get right to the point.  He had tried being nice to her, but she had continued to evade him.  He had to know what she knew and he would get her to tell him, at any cost.

            "I am going to ask you some questions about the former Earl of Essex and you will answer me honestly," he told her, his voice firm.

            "I have already answered Your Highness's questions as honestly as I could," she replied, her voice quavering.

            "I require more information," Rhain replied.  She opened her mouth to protest, but he raised a finger to silence her.  "Let us begin at the very beginning," he said.

            "Pray, Your Highness, have mercy.  I have toiled all day and am very weary.  I have nothing more to add to my story and my only desire is to be allowed to return to my chamber."  Her voice sounded very, very tired and he wondered if perhaps this was not a good time to press her.

            "Very well then," he replied.  "I shall give you leave but I shall seek you again soon and I expect you to tell me everything there is to tell," he told her in his most commanding voice.

            "Your Highness is most merciful and kind," Keelin said.  She slid from her chair and onto her knees on the floor.  She reached out and took up the hem of his cloak, kissing it.  She rose and, as she left the chamber, Rhain saw her sway and nearly fall.  However, she managed to hold herself upright and walk out of his chamber.

            It was obvious from her state that the girl could not last much longer.  Rhain knew that he would have to act immediately.  He would see to it himself that she obtained a less strenuous position.  He called one of his servants into his chamber and ordered the man to tell the mistress of the scullery that Keelin was to be removed and made a seamstress immediately.

            Rhain felt satisfied with himself, certain that his show of kindness and favor would lead her to him with the information he wanted.  If not, he could simply wait until she was in better health so that he could personally interrogate her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Keelin was furious when she heard the news.  She walked into the scullery the next morning, feeling bruised and battered and resigned to the idea of another day full of the drudgery of scullery labor.  Before she could even pick up her first dish, Nan appeared before her.

            "It seems that you are too fine a lady to be doing the dishes," Nan said, her voice thick with sarcasm.  "You claim that you are not 'is 'ighness's whore, yet you are shown the type of favor that is typical of such a woman."

            "What are you saying?" Keelin asked, her voice like ice.

            "'is 'ighness has personally ordered that you be removed from the scullery in favor of the sewing chambers.  It seems you are to 'ave a much more comfortable position after all."

            Keelin could feel her fists clenching at her sides.  She was grateful to the man for saving her, but she wondered why he felt the right to meddle in her life.  He was making things increasingly difficult for her and she was growing to appreciate his interference less and less.  She had no idea what his motivation could be in moving her to a more prestigious position, but she strongly suspected that it had something to do with her former position with the Earl.  The prince seemed to think that she was withholding information and he was trying to gain her confidence by any means necessary.  She had no idea exactly what sort of information he thought she was withholding, for she had told him everything she knew.

            She stewed silently for a moment, trying to decide what to do.  She was tempted to ignore Nan, pick up a dish, and begin scrubbing, but no matter how furious she was, she knew better than to disobey her sovereign.

            "Very well," she replied, cold fury sounding clearly in her voice.  "You may think what you will and I know what that is, but the truth is that I did not seek out His Highness's favor.  I would be just as happy to scrub dishes as I will be to embroider gowns.  There may be those who think it acceptable to aspire to a higher position, but I know of the natural order of things.  All that has occurred with me has been beyond my control.  Think what you will, but I have never been and never will be His Highness's woman."  With that, Keelin turned away from Nan and saw a servant with a kind face standing in the doorway.

            "Mistress Keelin?" the woman asked.

            "Aye," Keelin replied, stepping forward.

            "I have come to show you to the sewing chamber," the other woman said.  Her gaze was kind, almost sympathetic.  She had a sweetly pretty face and very pale skin that lent her the aura of an otherworldly being.  Keelin did not think that she could be much older than Keelin herself was.

            "You have my thanks," Keelin replied, walking away from Nan without looking back.

            The two women walked through the corridor silently for a moment, moving around clumps of servant men and the young boys who served as pages.  In the house of the earl, Keelin had rarely seen such hustle and bustle.  It had always been a rather calm and quiet household.  The old earl rarely had company, preferring to meet with his friends at court rather than in his home.  His country home had always been a sacred place of refuge for him and Keelin found that she was beginning to long for its quiet, peaceful atmosphere.  She wondered if she would ever get used to being around such a clutch of people at all times.

            The woman who had come to get Keelin cleared her throat discreetly and Keelin could tell that there was something she wanted to say, so she decided to break the ice.  

            "You have shown that you already know me by name.  Might I beg for the privilege of knowing yours?" Keelin asked, her voice deferential.

            "Oh, excuse me, mistress.  You may certainly know my name.  I am Alinda," the young woman answered.

            "I pray you, call me Keelin.  Thank you for your kindness in leading me to the sewing chamber."

            "Pray call me Alinda as well.  Indeed, 'twas my pleasure to lead you.  I so rarely see sections of the castle that are different from the one in which I work.  Mind you, that is not meant as a complaint.  I consider it a high blessing that I am fortunate enough to work here as I do.  I merely mean that 'tis nice to have a change of scene once in a while."

            Keelin smiled, finding that she liked this young woman.  "Indeed, I could not agree more, although I confess that I find myself somewhat confused by the constant motion of the palace."

            "So, you are not from the palace, then?" the young woman asked, casting a covert glance at Keelin.       

            So that was what she had wanted to ask.  "Indeed, I am not.  I was all my life in the service of the good Earl and Countess of Essex at their county estate.  I am only come here these last three years in the service of their son, the young earl."

            "Pray, forgive me for my curiosity.  I wanted to ask if 'twas indeed you.  I have heard much about you."            

"I doubt not that you have," Keelin said, suddenly weary.  She told herself that she had been stupid to get her hopes up, to think that she might actually find a friend in Alinda.

            "Much that is without truth, I am certain," Alinda added.  She stopped suddenly, turning to Keelin with a kind smile.  "There are those who are always jealous of any special attention received by others, even if that attention is not sought."

            Keelin smiled back at her.  "Thank you, Alinda.  You are very kind."

            "You must ignore the cruelty of the scullery servants.  They are made bitter by their work.  We, as seamstresses, are most fortunate in that the load we bear is not quite so heavy.  I hope you will find that we are a warm and trusting bunch of women.  I hope you will embrace us as we intend to embrace you."  Alinda smiled very benevolently at Keelin, soothing the other woman's every nerve.

            "How kind you are," Keelin replied softly.  "I only hope that I may somehow return your kindness."

            Alinda smiled once again, but did not speak.  Instead, she resumed her pace and Keelin followed with a much lighter heart.  When they reached the sewing chamber, Alinda introduced her to the twelve other women who worked there as well.  Most were much older than Keelin and Alinda and a few were younger, but they were all very kind.  Keelin could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. 

            Alinda showed her what she was to do and was very pleased to see that Keelin was a fine sewer.  "My mistress, Lady Eleanor, taught me," Keelin said.  "Bless her soul; she was always very kind to me.  I could not have asked for a better mistress."

            "She must have been very talented indeed, judging by your own talent," Alinda said, kindly.

            The two women spoke very little for the remainder of the day.  Their work required much concentration, so there was very little noise in the chamber.  Keelin found the silence extremely soothing, especially when compared to the cacophony that was the scullery and the dining hall.  Still, she continued to be angry that she had been promoted as she had and she was also apprehensive about what effect this great kindness might have on the scullery servants.  Even if she did find a friend in Alinda, Keelin knew there were many more servants in whom she would not.  Not everyone was as pure of heart as Alinda, that much Keelin could see clearly.  

            She was sewing away and brooding over these thoughts when a page boy entered the chamber and announced to her that that prince requested an audience with her.  She looked up from her work and glanced around the chamber a little frantically.  The women looked surprised, but she did not see the same look of condemnation on their faces that she had witnessed on the faces of the scullery servants.  

"His Highness's wish is my command," Keelin answered, although she found that, truth be told, she would much rather deny His Highness's wishes in this case.  "Where and at what time am I to meet with His Highness?"

            "You are to follow me now," the boy replied.

            "As His Highness desires," she answered.  She rose from her chair, setting her sewing carefully aside.  Alinda caught her eye and sent her a reassuring smile before Keelin turned to follow the boy.

            As they walked through the hall silently, Keelin began to mentally prepare herself.  As angry as she was, she knew that she would have to thank the prince for his kindness in finding her such a comfortable position.  At any rate, she knew that her anger with him would melt once she saw him.  For all his kindness, the prince was still an intimidating man.  He was still just a man in general.  Considering what she had suffered at Mordrid's hand, Keelin sincerely doubted that she would ever trust another again for as long as she lived.  Prince or no prince, this man was no exception.

*****

            Rhain paced the length of his study impatiently.  He had wanted to have Edwyn with him, but the other man had pointed out that his presence there would surely prevent the girl from talking.  She was skittish enough as it was around the prince.  A strange man's presence would surely only inhibit her further.  Rhain had seen the wisdom in this argument and had reluctantly agreed with his friend.  He was to meet with the girl alone.

            The sound of the door opening interrupted his thoughts.  One of his pages entered, followed by the servant.  The two of them curtseyed before him and he waved his hand, indicating that the page was free to go.  The boy left quickly, closing the chamber door behind him.

            "Good morrow, Keelin.  Would you care to sit?" Rhain asked casually, as if she had been his guest many times before.

            "Good morrow, Your Highness.  If it pleases Your Highness, I would rather stand," she replied.  She still sounded timid, but her voice seemed stronger than the day before.  This pleased the prince.

            "As you wish.  How do you find your new position?" he asked her, continuing with the niceties.

            "'Tis most pleasing, although I do wish Your Highness would not concern yourself with me.  I am merely a servant girl and am happy to serve my king in any way that I may."  Rhain was surprised at this answer and surprised at the vehemence in her voice.  In fact, it made him a little bit angry.

            "I thought you might be more grateful for my interference, especially considering the delicate state of your health," he said to her.

            He was astonished to see a flash of anger play over her features.  She looked as if she were trying to compose herself and was fighting a losing battle.  After a moment, she spoke again, "The gesture was most kind, although I do not feel myself worthy of His Highness's concern."  Even if the shift was involuntary, Rhain did not fail to notice how she changed to referring to him in the third person.  He felt his own anger flare.

            "How different you do seem," he mused.  "You were much more grateful when I saved your life."  The moment he said it, he regretted it.  In fact, he could not believe that he had even spoken the words out loud.  The whole interview was going badly indeed.  He was normally a fairly kind man, even if he did not show much regard for his servants.  And now that he had thought of one of them and shown her some kindness, she chose to become insolent with him.  He would not have thought it possible.  He wondered what had happened to the weak, terrified slip of a girl that he had rescued.

            Keelin drew her chin up and met his gaze for once.  "I am aware of the debt that I owe to Your Highness and that 'tis one that I may never repay.  I am certain that Your Highness has the best of intentions, but I wish that my life would not be interfered with just the same."

            Rhain's anger blazed forth now.  Just who did this servant think she was?  "Woman, are you aware that you speak to your sovereign lord and master?"

            "It would be difficult for me not to be aware of it," she snapped.  She looked surprised at her words and it was obvious to Rhain that her self-control was unraveling as she continued on with her outburst.  "As grateful as I may be to Your Highness for saving my life, I am not grateful for these special attentions.  I am most capable of performing any type of work and I do not aspire to rise above my situation."

            "And what, pray, do you mean by that?" Rhain asked coldly.

            The woman held herself steady, looking stronger by the minute.  "I may have suffered at the hands of the former earl, but I never suffered any stains upon my honor.  Now I am rescued and brought to the castle to find that I have lost the thing that I treasure more than even my life.  I have lost my honor."

            "What does that have to do with me?" the prince demanded.

            "Perhaps 'twill interest Your Highness to know that I now carry the title of His Highness's whore," she said, almost casually.  The blush that crept upon her cheeks was barely perceptible.

            "What insolence is this?" Rhain roared in disbelief.  "How dare you allow people to call you that!  How dare you allow people to think that..."      

"What?" she interrupted, her own voice roaring.  "How dare I allow them to think that you, one human being, might have an interest in me, another human being?  I may be lowlier than a flea in your eyes, but I am as human as you or anyone else who walks the floors of this castle.  I once thought you kind, but now I see the depth of your lack of concern for those who would grovel before you and call you master.  Those who would die for you!  You may think of me and my kind as salt of the Earth, but it would serve you well to realize that 'tis my kind that keeps you fed, that keeps you in fine clothing, that keeps you living in comfort, and that dies for you when necessary.  I confess that I do not know what you could possibly want from me and why you persist in showing me these attentions.  As it stands, I will remove myself from your presence.  I will not have myself known as your whore.  I would rather die than be thought of as any man's whore."  Keelin practically growled these last few words before turning on her heel and swiftly leaving the chamber, slamming the chamber door behind her.

            Rhain was completely flabbergasted.  He could not believe that the woman had spoken to him in such a manner, especially after all that he had done for her.  Still, he found that her words stung, even if he did not know why.  Resolutely, he pushed the pain that her words had inflicted aside.  His conscious was clear.

            _Or is it?_ asked the little voice at the back of his mind.  _Was there not some truth in that girl's words?_  _Did you not attempt to use her as a pawn, just as your father does with you?  Do you not despise your father for such behavior?  In truth, are you really so different from your father?  Think, prince, think.  How often have you used such "salt of the Earth," as she called them, as your pawns?  Have you ever truly given a thought to them?_

            Angrily, Rhain smashed his fist down on the table.  He cursed the woman for causing this crisis of conscience within him.  The imperial, arrogant side of him said that she should be punished, but the human side of him knew that he would not punish her in any way.  The human side of him knew that there was truth in her words and that he had deserved to hear what she had said.

            In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he could see his crime.  The woman had been so ill used by her former master, treated worse than the man treated his beasts.  She had borne it and survived it and been afraid to reveal it when it came time.  He now knew that part of the source of her unease was the fact that the servants were gossiping.  It was very likely that they were shunning her and mistreating her over what they jealously saw as special attentions given to her.  And he, arrogant fool that he was, had only bestowed these attentions in order to get what he wanted from her.  He had never stopped to think about what effect it would have on her life and he found that he was heartily sorry for it.

            Still, the fact remained that he really did need to speak with her, to see if she had any other helpful information to offer about her former master.  Instead of using her, he would now ask for her help in a straightforward manner.  He owed that much to her and in spite of how she must now feel about him, he knew that she would still help.  She had said as much when she spoke of her concern for the kingdom now that Mordrid was on the loose.  

            Any way he looked at it, Rhain realized that he would have to speak with her again.  First, he would give her some time to cool down.  When he finally did speak with her again, he would treat her much differently than he had this time.  He would treat her with more respect.  In the meantime, he would not tell a soul of what had passed between them.  He was the one who deserved to be punished for what had happened in his chamber, not her.  As bitter of a pill as it was to swallow, he would take his medicine and he would learn from the experience.

*****

            Keelin stalked swiftly through the corridors of the castle, fueled by her rage.  However, the closer she got to the sewing chamber, the more the rage wore off and the more it was replaced by the frightening realization of what she had just done.  Just before she reached the sewing chamber, she stopped in the deserted corridor and felt a sense of fear overtake her.

            She could not believe that what had just happened with the prince had actually happened.  In fact, she fervently wished that she would wake up to find that it had all just been a very bad dream.  The reality was much too terrible to deal with.  She was sure to be punished and punished severely.

            _I deserve it,_ she told herself.  _I deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the king's law.  How dare I speak to the prince in that manner!  Who do I think myself to be?  The prince may do as he pleases and I have no right to question his actions.  In fact, if he wanted to go around telling everyone that I was his whore, it would be his right.  He is ordained by God and man and I presume to put _him_ in _his_ place?_

            Yet, there was a part of her that did not regret what she had done, that did not think she deserved to be punished for it.  The prince had been kind in rescuing her, but it seemed he was possessed of a very arrogant and selfish nature.  It was clear to her that he had never in his life concerned himself with the feelings and troubles of those who were of a lower station than him.  In fact, she was now quite convinced that he had scarcely noticed their existence.  

            But was this truly his fault?  She knew that nobles such as her former master and mistress were very uncommon.  Most had been raised to believe that they were better than peasants and servants.  Could they truly be blamed for their resulting behavior?  Such questions whirled around and around in her mind until her head began to ache.  She became aware that she had been absent from her work for some time and she hurried into the sewing chamber.  None of the women there blinked an eye.  She knew that they must be dying of curiosity, but not a one of them even acted as if anything out of the ordinary had happened.  Keelin was very thankful for their discretion and their sense of propriety.

            At the end of the day, the women all shuffled out of the chamber and down to the servants' mess, where they would be served their final meal of the day.  Keelin filed out along with them, not speaking to anyone.  After a moment, Alinda caught up with her.

            "How did you find your first day of labor?" Alinda asked her.

            "I am very grateful for it," Keelin answered.  "My only wish is that my hands might serve the king for as long as they are able."

            Alinda smiled at her.  "That is my wish as well.  I often feel that there might be better ways for me to serve His Majesty, but I am blessed to be able to do anything to help His Majesty, no matter how small the task."

            "His Majesty has a most valuable servant in you," Keelin said, honestly.  Impulsively, she added, "You are so good Alinda.  I could only aspire to be more like you."

            "My sins are no less than yours," Alinda insisted.

            "You may be surprised," Keelin murmured.

            Alinda looked her full in the face.  "I am only surprised that someone could suffer as you have and yet remain as good as you have.  I fear that had I been in your situation, I would have become a very changed person indeed."

            The other servant's praise made Keeling uncomfortable.  "Please, Alinda, I am not worthy of your admiration.  I only suffered what was my lot to suffer."

            "'Tis no one's lot to suffer at the hands of a man as unreasonably cruel as the earl.  You deserved none of what your received."

            "Perhaps, but I am of no consequence.  I am merely a servant.  The former earl's greatest sin is that he was not a faithful servant to his king," Keelin replied.

            "Indeed," Alinda agreed.  "There is no greater sin than that."

            Keelin felt a twinge of conscience.  "Indeed there is not," she agreed.


	7. Chapter 7

My sincere thanks to all of you who have read and reviewed. Your feedback is extremely valuable to me and I'm very happy to know that there are people out there who enjoy my writing.  I started writing only to entertain myself and I can't tell you how amazing it is to me to think that other people are entertained by it as well. Chapter 7 

            Several days passed before Rhain worked up the courage to approach Keelin again.  Her pointing out his behavior had been quite a revelation.  He now realized just how imperial of a lord he had been in the past.  Before that realization, he never would have feared asking to speak with a servant as he did with this one.  Still, each passing day had brought about some fundamental changes within him.

            He had always been concerned with things like foreign policy and the economy of the kingdom.  However, he had never once stopped to think about the lives and needs of the people who inhabited that kingdom.  He had always admired his father's devotion to his people and Rhain now realized that it was one of his father's most positive traits and that, so far, the son had failed to take after the father in this important respect.  In fact, Rhain grew more and more ashamed of himself each day and began to vow that, when he was king, he would see to it that he did all he could to improve the living conditions of his subjects.  For now, he would take whatever small steps he could towards making the life of the peasantry more bearable.  

            Rhain had grown much more patient with his servants and had begun to express his appreciation for their hard work.  Initially, they were clearly taken aback by this behavior, but Rhain began to notice a change in their general demeanor.  They seemed happier and were much more willing to do whatever it was he asked of them.  They began to look at him differently and he could see that their eyes, which had once been filled with a sort of mocking, were now beginning to be filled with admiration for him.

            Their admiration really only served to magnify his sense of guilt.  It was not of his own accord that he had changed for the better.  It was only after Keelin had stood up to him that he had begun to see the error of his ways.  He owed this change in his behavior to her bravery and her candid speech.  His current state of nervousness at the thought of meeting with her again had a lot to do with the fact that he now wanted to see approval in her eyes, rather than anger.  He wanted her to look at him and see that he was a kind man and that he was capable of feeling for his people.  The prince did not know exactly why it was so important to him that he see this in her, why her approval had become more important than any other person's.  He only knew that he desperately wanted it.

            Finally, he did not feel that he could wait any longer.  Each day seemed like a million grains of sand from the hourglass slipping through his fingers.  He needed to gain as much information about Mordrid as possible, so that he could develop strategies to deal with the man in the future.  The more time that lapsed, the more time the former earl had to call on friends and raise up enemies against England.  Rhain knew that he had to see to it that, no matter what, his country was protected from the wrath of Mordrid.

            And so, five days after their tense confrontation, Rhain decided that it was time for him to attempt to speak with Keelin one last time.  He found himself pacing the chamber as he waited for her to arrive.  As soon as he heard his servant at the door, Rhain stopped pacing and stood up straight, tugging somewhat anxiously at the embroidered velvet tunic that he was wearing.  He already felt uncomfortable and that feeling was only magnified when Keelin, in her simple servant's garb and cap, appeared before him, hands folded demurely in her skirts, eyes cast downward timidly.  He was afraid that he had ruined any chance he might have had at gaining her confidence, but knew that he must try speaking with her.

            "Mistress, thank you for coming.  Please do sit down.  I have a matter of great urgency that I need to address with you," he said, his voice respectful.  He indicated the chair that was placed across from his at his table.

            "Aye, Your Highness," Keelin said, her voice so soft that he had difficulty hearing it.  She sat quickly and as he slid into his seat, he tried to catch her eye, but she resolutely refused to look at him.  He took a deep breath, knowing that he was going to have to take the full plunge.

            "Mistress, I must apologize to you for my behavior when last we met.  I acted in a very arrogant manner and I am glad that you illuminated my behavior in its true light.  I have thought much about what you said and have decided. . ." 

            "Your Highness, I spoke out of turn that day.  It is not for me to question your actions.  I am merely a servant and I know my place.  I know that you must punish me and I feel I deserve to be punished.  It was wrong of me to defy you," Keelin said, interrupting him.  She kept her head bowed as she spoke, so that he had difficulty seeing her face.  

            "I will not accept your apology, for the apology is mine to make," he replied.  She made a sound of protest, but he held up a hand to stop her.  She glanced at him out of the corner of her eyes.  "I should never have treated you as I did and I certainly should not have interfered in your life.  I am most sincerely sorry for any hardships you may have had to endure as a result of my arrogant selfishness.  Instead of openly asking for your help, I am ashamed to admit that I did attempt to use you to my own advantage.  The speech you gave to me has made me think a great deal about how I have treated my people and now I can clearly see my sins.  I have not been nearly as good to my people as I should be and I feel that I am not even worthy of carrying the title of Prince of England.  My father is much more of a sovereign to his people than I could ever hope to be, but I pledge that I will spend much time attempting to make amends.  I have resolved to change my behavior for the better and I owe you much gratitude for showing me the way to becoming a better sovereign and a better person."

            Keelin now stared at the prince, mouth agape.  He could clearly see that she had never been spoken to in this manner by any person of high status and probably not by anyone of a lower status.  He was sure that she must not have a great deal of trust in the peerage, considering how she had been treated in the house of Essex.  The image of the peerage did not always fit with the reality of it and this girl had suffered that reality more than most.  He owed her his respect.  She had already won his admiration.

            She finally seemed to find her voice, asking him quietly, "How may I serve Your Highness?"  He could now tell that she was ready and willing to help him with whatever he needed.

            He looked her directly in the eye and spoke from his heart.  "Mistress, I ask that you tell me everything you know of your former master.  He is a powerful man and I think it wise to take precautions against him, for the protection of this entire kingdom.  I ask for your help in aiding me to form a more perfect picture of the man, so that I might be able to anticipate his future moves."

            He saw a fleeting look of fear in her eyes but it was quickly replaced with one of steely determination.  Keelin looked at him for a moment before speaking.  Her voice was hesitant but grew stronger as she proceeded.  "Indeed, I do believe Your Majesty's fear is justified.  My former master has many powerful friends, especially in France.  He is in favor with many members of the French nobility.  I saw them myself when he brought them home as his guests.  They are not only powerful; they are also very rich as well."

            It was exactly what Rhain did not want to hear, but he was grateful for the information.  It would certainly help him to better prepare a strategy for defending himself against Mordrid.  "Mistress, do you believe that Mordrid might attempt to use the power and wealth of his friends against the throne of England?" he asked.

            Keelin was silent for a moment, her eyes fixed on one of the wall tapestries.  She appeared to be deep in thought.  Rhain watched the expressions on her face change as she struggled with some sort of inner conflict.  Finally, after a very long moment of silence, she spoke once again.

            "He was a hard man, but there are many men who are hard.  However, there are two things that set my former master apart from other hard men.  One is his limitless capacity for cruelty.  I am not the only servant who has suffered at his hand.  Punishment in the house of Essex was swift and unusually cruel.  He is a man completely without mercy.  Secondly, he is a man who has a great deal of pride.  He is not one to overlook what he sees as a slight committed against him.  I am certain that he is not repentant for his crimes and that he feels the need to avenge himself in some way for his having been exiled from England.  I fear that he will seek me out first, but my greatest fear is that he will also seek out the throne."  Keelin spoke in a low, nearly mechanical tone, leading Rhain to believe that she was attempting to repress many memories that were far too painful for her to relive.  He could not stop himself from feeling a sense of dread settle over him.

            "Do you really believe him to be capable of such high treason?"

            Keelin looked him straight in the eye as she spoke.  "Your Highness, there is very little of which I do not believe my former master capable.  He always did think himself greater than he was.  His banishment may serve as the perfect motivation to prove that belief."

            "And do you sincerely believe that he will seek you out?"

            "I have not the slightest doubt.  Forsooth, I am certain that he will not rest until he has rained his vengeance down on me."  Once again, her voice had gone flat and her eyes had wandered back to the tapestry.  

            "He shall never again harm you, for you shall forevermore be under my protection," Rhain declared, quietly and seriously.

            Keelin smiled a quick, ironic smile.  "Then his quest shall only be more easily accomplished.  In threatening me, he also threatens the throne that protects me.  Nay, Your Highness, I would rather sacrifice myself than allow my former master the conquest of England."

            Rhain felt an even greater sense of gratitude for this strong woman than he had ever felt before.  She was the bravest woman he knew, and braver than many men he knew.  Aside from his admiration for her, Rhain felt the stirrings of something new, of something foreign.  He had the uncanny sense that his life was now to be inextricably entwined with that of this woman.

*****

            Keelin could scarcely believe it when the prince apologized to her for his actions.  She felt that she had sorely misjudged him and it weighed upon her conscience.  He had been selfish and imperious but she had wronged him by not believing him capable of compassion for others.  His apology had touched her and showed her the mark of what lay underneath the persona of the prince.  It was the mark of a true sovereign.

            She saw that mark even more when the prince began to ask her what he had wanted to ask her all along.  He treated her almost as if she were his equal; an experience that she found equal parts thrilling and frightening.  It was dangerous for her to have such feelings as she was beginning to develop.  The simple fact that the prince needed her for valuable information and that he treated her with respect as he asked her for it did not mean that she should ever again have the privilege of speaking with him in the same manner once the situation with Mordrid was under control.  Nay, it was only the natural order of the world that she should go back to being the lowly, unnoticed servant that she had always been once she had ceased to be a useful source of information to the prince.

            She knew this and yet, in spite of herself, she felt a strange jolt when the prince told her that Mordrid could never again harm her because she was under his protection.  He had never used such personal terms with her before.  He had told her that she would be safe, that she would be protected by the crown, but he had never told her that he would personally protect her.  Still, she told herself that she was just being foolish.  He was only using such terms to assure her that the crown took her safety seriously.  It was the royal family's way of showing their gratitude to her in exchange for the information she could give them about Mordrid.  It was most kind and magnanimous of them, really.  They truly did not owe her anything.  She would have given the information even without their promise of protection because she felt that it was her duty to serve her king and country.

            "There will be no sacrifice made to Mordrid," the prince said to her, interrupting her thoughts.  "You have done your kingdom a great service with your bravery and your aide.  I will never turn my back on you.  Mordrid will have to come straight through me in order to get to you."

            The sudden tension in the chamber was unmistakable.  The prince's color was high and Keelin had to turn her eyes from him in embarrassment.  She knew he was only speaking this way in the heat of the moment, but his words had created an awkwardness between them.  His concern for her marked a definite change in his attitude toward her five days ago.  It was gratifying to her to see that he had grown so compassionate, that he could now see the plight of his people.  She felt somewhat in awe of him and knew that this man was indeed ordained to be king, that his greatness would someday touch every corner of the kingdom, if not the world.  She was very nearly overwhelmed.

            There was a long silence between them, before Keelin finally ventured to speak again.  She spoke carefully, dancing around his extremely personal declaration by speaking of his family as a whole.  "I shall always be grateful for the vast kindness of Your Majesties.  My loyalty and my services belong to Your Majesties and I will do all I can to be of service.  You are all most merciful.  May God bless you."

            "Thank you, Mistress, for your aide and for your loyalty to your king and country.  May I send for you again if I have need of any further information?"  The prince had been staring at her steadily all the while that she was giving her little speech and he continued to do so as he addressed her.  She found that the intensity of his gaze unnerved her a little.

            "I shall always be at Your Highness's service," Keelin replied.  

            "Thank you.  I have no wish to detain you any further from your work," he said, his voice very gentle.

            Keelin did not reply.  Instead, she rose from her chair and then bowed low before the prince.  She swept the hem of his cape to her lips and kissed it reverently before she turned and left the chamber.  As she exited, she noticed that the giant knight was waiting to see the prince.  He nodded at her and she curtseyed back as he headed into the prince's study and she turned down the corridor that would take her back to the sewing chamber.

            Her heart was full as she walked.  Ever since the whole nightmare with Mordrid had begun, she had not allowed herself to think about the future.  Her only object had been to survive from one day to the next, and even her very will to survive had nearly been lost that night on the river.  Since then, she had devoted all of her time to thinking about how she could be a good servant to the king.  True, she had had the audacity to insult his son, even if she had suffered no ill consequence as a result.  However, she had let her determination to deserve the king's protection consume her body and soul. 

            But now it was time for her to be truthful with herself.  While she had certainly wished to serve her king, she knew that she had also seized upon the situation as a way of distracting herself from her own horrible reality.  As long as she worried about what Mordrid's banishment meant for the kingdom, she did not have to worry about what it meant for her personally.  She had pushed her thoughts and fears with regards to Mordrid back into the furthest corner of her mind.  She had not allowed herself to think of what consequences might exist as a result of a chain of events in which she was a central figure.  What she had told the prince was no lie.  She knew with a grave certainty that Mordrid would be back, that he would do all he could to see to it that his former servant was punished; she had not the slightest doubt.  She knew how he would see things.  Mordrid, the man who had always succeeded in beating her down, had failed at his own game.  She knew that a good deal of his rage would be directed towards her, towards the woman who had managed to triumph over him.  Once he was finished with her, he would turn the rest of his rage on the throne of England, on the king who had stripped him of land and title and especially on the prince who had imprisoned him and prevented him from killing his servant.  

            Keelin began to feel very afraid of what would happen.  While she naturally feared for her own life, what truly terrified her was the thought of Mordrid defeating the king and taking over the throne of England.  It would be an unimaginable tragedy and she would do all she could to see to it that he did not succeed.  She would fight against him to the death, even if it meant that she had to take his life with her own hands.  There was nothing she would not do to stop the man, nothing at all.  She did not wish to elevate herself to the status of martyr and she wished for no fame, but she knew that she was willing to be the sacrificial lamb if that was what it would take to ensure England's safety against Mordrid.

            '_And what about the prince?'_ asked the insidious voice in the back of her mind.  '_Were you not flattered when he offered his personal protection to you?  Do you not hope that he will call on you again - - and soon - - for help?  Be truthful, Keelin.  You feel a most immoral urge to be as useful to him as possible.  You even have the audacity to fancy yourself his equal.'_

            With all of her might, Keelin slammed the door on the voice.  She would not allow herself to be swayed.  Keelin knew her place in the world and it was certainly not at the side of the crown prince of England.  Her only duty was to do all she could to serve and she did it without any hope for reward.  She could not deny that she was beginning to have some strangely mixed emotions when it came to the prince, but she knew that her motivation in the fight against Mordrid was pure.  She was not in it to capture the prince; she was in it to defend England.  Only a fool would think that this could win the heart of the prince and Keelin was no fool.  She was not worthy of such an honor and would never be presumptuous enough to think that she was.  She would never do anything to try to upset the natural balance of the world.

*****

"Did you learn anything useful from the servant woman?" Edwyn asked his friend as soon as he entered the chamber.  He too had grown more and more anxious with the passing of each day.  He was ready to defend his country and back his friend in any way necessary.  Edwyn was a man that passionately loved his motherland and he would fight until his dying day to see to it that it was safe from Mordrid.

            "Aye, indeed, she was most obliging.  Unfortunately, what I learned was not at all pleasing.  She confirmed our worst fears.  She said that Mordrid has many powerful and rich friends in France, that she had seen many of them when they came to visit Mordrid.  She is most certain that he will come back and attempt to avenge himself and she has no doubt that he will seek her out in the process."

            Edwyn looked surprised.  "He is truly a man that obsessed?" he asked, incredulously.

            "While I suspected it, the servant girl reinforced my suspicions.  She has known Mordrid all her life, has known the intimate details of his household.  She is sure to know much more about him than anyone else.  She said that his two most distinguishing traits were his cruelty and his pride.  'Tis a dangerous combination."

            "'Tis indeed," Edwyn agreed, sighing heavily.  The two men were silent for a moment before the giant spoke again.  "'Tis not that I wish to push the subject of Mordrid aside, but how did you ever manage to gain the girl's confidence?"

            Rhain sighed heavily.  "My friend, I have a story to tell, but you must let me thoroughly explain it before you attempt to speak of it.  Please, sit down and allow me to describe to you the soul journey I have taken these five days past."

            The two men sat and Rhain explained the whole story to Edwyn, starting with his confrontation with Keelin and ending with the soul-searching he had done over the past five days.  He could see that his friend looked angry when he heard of how the servant girl had challenged his authority.  Rhain was certain that Edwyn must have been able to see some truth in what Keelin had said, but he was so fiercely loyal to his friend that he would not admit it.

            "She should not have spoken to you in that manner," Edwyn said flatly when Rhain was finished.  

            Rhain sat in thoughtful silence for a moment.  "Edwyn, you are one of the best and most loyal friends a man could ask for, but at times that loyalty blinds you."  He said these last words lightly, so as not to offend his friend.  "We have been told since the beginning of time that God chooses the king and that to question to king is to question God.  Still, the truth remains that a king is not perfect because, while he is a king, he is also a man.  I may be a prince by holy decree, but that does not make me a man without flaws.  For as much as I differ from my father, I have always admired his ability to empathize with his people.  'Tis an ability in which I was lacking.  'Twas only through my conversation with the servant girl that I was able to see the error in my ways.  I cannot help but be grateful for her words for they have given me a chance to mend my ways.  I would make a poor king indeed if I did not place the concerns of my people foremost in my mind."

            "Still, 'tis treason for a servant to speak such words," Edwyn said stubbornly.  "She must think herself a high miss indeed.  I believe you should have punished her in some way."

            Rhain smiled at his friend.  "Come now, Edwyn, you are not as hard a man as that.  Why should I punish a servant for the faults that are mine exclusively?  I do not believe she thinks herself above her station at all.  I simply believe that she had the courage to speak the truth at a difficult time."

            "You are a forgiving man, Rhain," Edwyn said.  "I hope you will have a care not to allow that quality to hinder you."

            "I promise you I will not.  I know when 'tis appropriate and when 'tis not.  For instance, I shall never forgive Mordrid for his many crimes against the throne," Rhain said, his face hardening.

            "Nor shall I," Edwyn agreed.  "What is to be done about the man?"

            "We must be wary.  As my trusted friend, I ask you to see to it that the knights are prepared.  I shall also participate in the training, but I must first speak with my father to bring him the intelligence I have gathered."

            "You know you may always count on me," Edwyn said.  "I will see to it that the men begin their training immediately.  I shall increase the guards in the tower and at the gate.  Mordrid will have to murder us all before he can ever set foot in these walls again."

            "Thank you, my friend.  I shall see you out on the training fields."

            "'Twill be just like old times," Edwyn said, grinning his giant grin.  It only took about two long strides for him to cross the chamber and let himself out the door.

            Once he was gone, Rhain began to plan his strategy.  He would speak with his father next.  He would certainly not tell him of his confrontation with the servant girl, but he would relay to his father the information that she had provided.  Rhain felt it just that her bravery should be rewarded and he was certain that his father would agree.  For as much as she might wish to hide her contribution, Rhain would see to it that the entire kingdom knew the great service that she had rendered it.  He would also speak with his father about Keelin's fears of being hunted by Mordrid, to ensure that his father would also think himself personally responsible for her safety.

            Rhain sent for one of his pages to take the message to his father that his son wished to see him.  In the meantime, Rhain sat down to write several letters to his informants in France.  He would see to it that they kept their ears to the ground and informed him the moment they had any news.  He had much work ahead of him.  Casting yet another prayer of thanks heavenward that the servant girl had been sent to him, he turned his attention to his work.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8 

The king's forest was very green and cool, full of the rustling sounds of animals hiding from the human intruder that trod upon their grounds.  The birdsong seemed even more melodious than normal today, as if their song was for her and her alone.  Keelin had always found that a walk through the forest soothed her soul and she had escaped to it as much as possible when she had lived with Mordrid.  Those walks had been few, but she had always cherished them.

            She walked through the sun-dappled mystery of the forest, feeling as if the weight of the world was being lifted from her shoulders.  It was a Sunday and, once the church services were over, Keelin had plunged herself with great enthusiasm into the royal forest that beckoned a short distance from the back wall of the castle.  As always, she found that immersing herself in the forest erased all of her troubles from her mind.  Many of the happiest moments of her life had been spent wandering the forest.

            Keelin flung her arms out to her sides and tilted her head back, as if she could drink in the sight, sounds, and smells of the forest.  She twirled around once, allowing the joy of the moment to overtake her.  When she pictured heaven, she always pictured a vast and verdant forest, such as that belonging to the king. 

            She was so lost in the moment that she almost did not hear the sound of another human being just ahead of her.  She caught the sound just before she stumbled upon the other person, composing herself swiftly so as not to be seen exhibiting any sort of impropriety.  Keelin knew that she should be wary, but she never felt any fear when she was in her precious forest.  She felt almost as if the trees would reach out to embrace her protectively if she ever faced any danger within their realm.

            Another step and she ran flush into the other human being who had been enjoying the solitude of the forest.  All of her breath rushed out of her in a whoosh when she saw who the other wandered was.  She dropped swiftly to her knee, bowing low before him.

            "Good morrow, Your Highness," she murmured.

            He seemed almost as taken aback as she was.  "Good morrow, Mistress."  He was dressed very casually in a simple, blousy shirt that was tucked into tight breeches, a leather jerkin, and a simple but beautifully crafted brown cloak.  He wore tall brown leather boots and had his vibrant hair pulled back and tied with a brown leather thong at the nape of his neck.  An awkward moment passed between the two of them before he seemed to collect himself.  "Pray, rise up from the ground.  I do not wish you to stand on ceremony here."

            "As Your Highness wishes," she replied, keeping her eyes respectfully lowered, her hands demurely folded in front of her.  Her heart pounded in her chest and she felt strangely lightheaded.  '_What is wrong with me?'_ she wondered.

            "What brings you to the forest?" he asked her.  She could feel the weight of his gaze on her and it made her cheeks blaze until she longed to lay them on the cool moss that covered the surface of the tree to her left.

            "I always find peace and refuge in the forest," she answered quietly.  "I stroll in it as often as possible."  Timidly, she raised her eyes to his and met his gaze.

            He frowned at her.  "You should not be wandering about the forest on your own.  'Tis dangerous.  What if..."  He left the question dangling on the breeze, but Keelin knew exactly what he meant.

            "Is it not as dangerous for Your Highness to be in the forest alone?" she blurted.  Her cheeks flamed once again and she began to wish that the ground would open up beneath her feet and swallow her whole.

            To her vast relief, the prince answered her inquiry with a smile before he spoke.  "I can see that I am equally matched in this battle of the wits.  I believe that I must award the last point to you, Mistress.  It certainly is not the best of ideas for me to be wandering about the forest on my own either, but I must claim the next point in pointing out to you that I, at least, am armed."  With these words, his right hand briefly closed upon the hilt of the sword that he wore at his hip.  It was elaborately worked, bearing an intricate motif of vines and game with the royal crest of the lion in the middle.  Still, she knew that this was no mere show sword.  The prince was a man who knew how to fight and whose feats on the battlefield had been very heroic.

            "I also am armed, although not as well as Your Highness," she answered, pulling her dagger from its concealed sheath at her waist.

            "I see," he answered.  "And do you know how to defend yourself with that dagger?"

            "I do not know," she admitted.  "I have never used it but I have always carried it with me thinking it might offer me some form of protection against my former master."  Once again she spoke without thinking and once again she felt humiliated in front of the prince.

            His jovial expression hardened.  "What sort of kingdom is this in which a woman feels she must carry a dagger in order to protect her virtue?"  His face looked stormy and Keelin could see that he took his words very seriously.  This was obviously a man who passionately believed in the code of chivalry.

            She smiled tentatively at him, wanting to chide him out of his gloomy mood.  "It is the sort of kingdom in which women have the comfort of knowing that we have many great men who are willing to risk their own safety in order to protect ours."

            "That is the most glorious cause for any man.  There is nothing greater than for him to defend the virtue of a woman."  The prince's gaze was intense as he spoke these words and Keelin knew that she could not bear much more of this sort of interchange.  It reminded her too much of his promise to her on the day before, that Mordrid would have to come through him to get to her.

            "Forgive me, Your Highness, for distracting you with my idle chatter.  I am certain that you have matters of great importance to attend to and I thank Your Highness for graciously sparing a moment of time to converse with me," she said, feeling flustered.

            The prince studied her for a moment.  "You are a most proper maiden," he observed.  "And you are correct, I do have a matter of great importance to attend to, but you did not distract me and your chatter was most decidedly not idle.  I chose to speak with you of my own accord and in so doing I find that I am only reconfirming what I have suspected of you."

            "And what is that?" Keelin asked, her throat suddenly dry.

            "That you are a woman of great character and intelligence."  He said the words simply, without any sort of silly flourish and Keelin received them as the high compliment they were meant to be.

            "Your Highness is most kind," she replied, staring at the ground as she felt herself go scarlet.  "'Twas the generous and patient teachings of my former mistress that helped me to form my own imperfect thoughts.  My mistress was a woman possessed of far greater intelligence and propriety than I have or will ever posses."

            "Your mistress must have been a most remarkable woman, for I see that she taught you well."

            Keelin did not trust herself to respond to yet another of his compliments, so she merely inclined her head to him to show him her gratitude.  She hoped that he would recognize her bashful gesture for what it was, a substitute for the fine words of thanks she should have spoken to him.

            Several moments of silence passed as the prince continued to study her.  At last, Keelin glanced up at him, caught his eye, and then quickly glanced away.

            "You are a most remarkable woman," he said, suddenly.  And then, just as suddenly, "Pray, allow me to say my farewells.  My father awaits me."

            "Fare thee well, Your Highness," she replied, bowing to him once more.  "I thank you for your great kindness to me.  I am forever in Your Highness's debt."

            "The debt belongs to none but me," he replied and then he was gone as swiftly as he had come.

As soon as he was out of sight, Keelin gave in to her trembling knees and sagged against the nearest tree, allowing it to prop her up instead of her own two extremely wobbly legs.  She felt almost as if the encounter in forest had been a sort of strange, beautiful dream.  The prince's comments to her had been so kind but so cryptic that she did not know what to make of them.  What could all of it mean?

            '_And you think that you do not fancy yourself his equal,'_ scoffed the voice in her mind.  For once, she listened to it.  She knew that it was right.  She was trodding on dangerous ground and needed to see to it that she did all she could to banish her fantasies before they got her into serious trouble.

*****

            Rhain felt extremely unsettled as he walked away from Keelin.  He too had come to the forest seeking refuge, but now found that his thoughts were far more turbulent than they had been earlier.  He did not know what to make of the whole encounter, did not know what to make of his own strange and unfamiliar emotions.

            He had been awake most of the night, talking with his father and planning strategies.  His mother had been nearly sick with worry and the two men had eventually had to banish her from the chamber.  Once she was gone, Rhain noticed how old his father looked.  Every line in his face stood out in stark relief.  He knew that there would be no peace until Mordrid had been found and held in check.  The air in the castle was thick with barely controlled tension.

            Rhain had attended private services with his family in the castle's royal chapel that morning.  He had felt almost numb with fatigue, but as he sat through the sermon, he had begun to feel as though he would jump out of his skin.  He knew that as soon as the priest was done speaking he would flee straight for the forest.  Spending a short amount of time there was sure to quiet his turbulent mind.

            The strategy had worked for a while.  As he strode through the forest smelling its earthy scent and listening to the song of the birds, he had felt as though his troubles were being erased.  He had begun to enjoy a few moments of peace for the first time in weeks when he ran into Keelin.

            He had been completely taken aback by the sight of her.  It was the first time since he had rescued her that he had ever seen her in anything other than her bland servant's gown and sensible little cap.  He found the change in her appearance remarkable.

            He had noticed that she was lovely, but had never seen the full extent of her beauty.  She wore a peasant's garb of a white frilled chemise with a tightly laced bodice of pale blue linen over the top.  She wore two skirts, as was popular with the peasants.  The hem of an underskirt of a vibrant shade of blue peeked out from the overskirt of pale blue linen that matched her bodice.  The outfit enhanced the soft curves of her body while also emphasizing its fragile delicateness.  Her hair was braided at the sides and tied in the back with a leather thong, but the bulk of it hung loose, tumbling in luxurious golden curls down to her waist.  Her pale, luminous skin was marred only by the traces of bruises that remained.  She was, in a word, beautiful.

            For once, he was glad that she immediately fell into a low bow before him.  He had felt a lurching in the pit of his stomach and was sure that the expression on his face would have told more than he wished it to tell.  He had never seen a being so heart-stoppingly lovely.  She looked for all the world as if she were an angel somehow tumbled down to Earth.  He was shocked by a powerful, nearly all-consuming urge to reach out and touch her gilded hair.  It was all he could do to restrain himself.

            He was extremely confused.  He knew that other men might name his sensations desire and that they would pursue the woman who inspired the sensations until their thirst was slaked.  However, the prince was not a man who had had many women.  He had never really found one that could hold his interest, whom he felt was his equal.  So, for lack of an adequate partner, he had convinced himself that he had no need of a woman for the time being.  He knew that when he was king someday he would need a wife in order to produce an heir to the throne, but he had always told himself that someday the right woman would come along.  In light of this, he could not understand what he was feeling inside.  He was not the sort of man to feel desire for a woman simply because of a pretty face and a nice figure, so that could not be what he was experiencing with this woman.  Still, she could not possibly be the right woman for him.  He barely knew her and, to make matters worse, she was a servant.  Even if he were so inclined, a union between them would never be acceptable.  

            The prince found that these emotions were simply too confusing to be dealt with and so he swept them aside.  Once the affair with Mordrid was settled, he and the servant would not find themselves thrown together so often and the prince could forget about her.  Until then, he would have to learn to simply look upon her as one of his faithful subjects.  They could never form a closer relationship than that.  Of that, he was convinced.

            That decision made, he picked up his pace and made his way to the castle.  He had to get back to his father, to see if any new information had been delivered.  He was also to begin training with the knights and soldiers that afternoon and he knew that it would be a long and exhausting day.  In spite of his hatred for Mordrid, he had to admit that the man had been the cause of one great thing in the prince's life: he had ended the visit by Spain.  No further mention of a marriage between Rhain and the princess of Spain was made and for that Rhain was extremely grateful.  It now appeared that she was to marry a German prince and that her father had no hard feelings against the English after all.  The prince could not help but smile at the thought.  The Spanish princess was one woman who most certainly would never be his wife.  She was severely lacking in intelligence and did not posses any propriety to speak of that would help make up for that lack.  Far better another man find himself chained to her for life than Rhain.

            He reached the castle walls and went promptly to his father's study.  He was glad to see that his mother was absent.  Rhain felt that this whole affair was far too upsetting for her and he would prefer that she not be present in case there was any bad news to be had.  However, he quickly found that there was no news at all.  As he opened his mouth to speak, his father shook his head grimly.

            "There is nothing yet, my son," he said.  "We have talked all we can on the subject thus far.  Go and train with your men.  Help them to prepare themselves for a great crisis."

            "I will, father," Rhain replied.  "You know that they are the finest men in all of England and they will all willingly give their lives to protect your throne."

            "Of that I have no doubt," the king replied.  "I know we have always had our differences, but I want you to know that, as both a warrior and a man, you have made me very proud.  I feel at peace because I am certain that you will make a fine king someday."

            "Thank you, father," Rhain said, very seriously, knowing the words had likely been very difficult for his father.  "Your words do me an honor that I do not deserve.  We have had our differences, but I wish I had aspired to be more like you in your treatment of your people.  No king has ever treated his subjects better and 'tis of no wonder that your people so revere you."

            The king took the compliment with grave dignity.  "I thank you.  Mark these words, my son.  Many kings concern themselves with gold or with winning wars, thinking that these are the paths to glory and a prosperous and peaceful kingdom.  I have come to understand that everything begins and ends with my people.  They are the lifeblood of the kingdom and 'tis to them that I owe my attention.  'Tis dangerous for a king to overlook his people."

            Rhain perfectly understood what his father was saying.  "Then you should have no fear," he replied.  "You have legions of fine, loyal knights willing to lay their lives down for you and you have a kingdom full of subjects who would never bow to anyone who attempted to overtake your throne."

            "That is my hope," was the king's only reply.

            Rhain left the man alone with his thoughts and headed out into the training courtyard to meet with his men.  He was pleased to see that they were all hard at work under the direction of Edwyn.  They all stopped what they were doing and bowed before him, including Edwyn.

            "What is Your Highness's wish?" Edwyn asked, neatly turning the reins over to Rhain.

            "'Tis my wish to speak with my men," Rhain answered.  "Thank you for your great service, Sir Edwyn."

            The other man bowed and moved away from Rhain, joining the rest of the men.  The prince surveyed the crowd and felt a surge of pride and of fierce loyalty.  These battle-scarred men had fought valiantly alongside him many a time.  All he need do was say the word and they would fight alongside him once more.  The feeling was overwhelming, making Rhain realize just how fortunate he was.

            "As you know, an insidious threat against our homeland has been discovered.  The villainous former Earl, who was stripped of his title and land and banished because he committed high treason against his king, has fled to his friends in France.  His friends are many and powerful and they have the wealth and influence necessary to threaten our realm.  We cannot sit back and allow them to steal it out from under our noses.  We must be prepared for an invasion and we must be prepared to offer our lives for the safety and protection of our kingdom.  We shall send the demon Mordrid to hell, where he belongs," the prince spoke, his voice carrying over the crowd.  He was a gifted orator, able to make speeches that easily inspired the most disinterested of men.  A roar rippled through the crowd and Rhain smiled at them.

            "Friends, I look forward to once again fighting alongside you.  For now, we must train ourselves; discipline ourselves, so that we may show the French what happens to any man who dares to threaten England."  With that, the prince's speech was over and the training began.  He stripped out of his jerkin and promptly joined in.

*****

            The women of the sewing chamber had a new assignment.  For the time being, gone were the linens and gowns that they had been embroidering.  They had now set to work on banners and surcoats for the knights.  Keelin had the special privilege of stitching the surcoat that was to be worn by the prince.  It was to be made of the finest red velvet and, using thread of gold, she was to stitch the royal crest of a lion rearing on his hind legs, showing the claws of his front paws and opening his maw as if in a great roar.  This news had been delivered to Keelin as soon as she had returned from her disconcerting walk in the forest.

            She stroked the fabric reverently for a moment, wondering at its rich and luxurious texture.  She had never stitched on anything finer than linen and wool.  The contrast between these materials and the velvet only served to further widen the chasm that lay between her and the prince.  She made a vow to herself that each stitch she made would be done with a careful reverence, that she would remind herself with every stroke of the needle that this was the surcoat to be worn by the prince not only in defense of England, but also in defense of her personally.

            Keelin did not, of course, tell any of the other women of the vows of the prince, not even Alinda.  She still feared that they would turn against her, that they might think she was trying to equate herself with royalty.  She was also afraid that they would laugh at her, that they would not believe her claims.  Keelin knew that if someone such as herself were to make the same claims to her she would not believe them.  More than anything else, however, she did not tell them because she was certain that his vows did not mean anything.  She was convinced that the prince had merely spoken out of the passion of the moment.  When it came right down to it, the prince could not be allowed to risk his life for hers.  His life was far more valuable than hers would ever be.

            As she sewed, Keelin said prayers, hoping that she could infuse each stitch with the power of her pleas to God for the prince's protection.  She was certain that Alinda was doing the same, although her interests were not as personal as those of Keelin.

            "Do you really think it possible that there could be a war?" she asked Keelin that night, after they had finished their day's work.  The two of them were huddled in a corner of the chamber that all of the sewing women shared, seated on their straw pallets.  Both women wore long, white nightgowns.  Alinda drew her knees up under hers, hugging them to her chest.  Her long, raven braid tumbled over her left shoulder.

            "Aye, I am afraid I do," Keelin said, speaking softly but bluntly.  She pulled a comb as gently as she could through her tangled curls until they were free of knots.  She then seated herself in front of Alinda who divided the hair and began to braid it.

            "You honestly think the former earl hates His Majesty as much as that?" Alinda asked, her voice both incredulous and fearful, incredulous that anyone could dare to defy the king and fearful that it might actually happen.

            "He has no loyalty to anyone but himself," Keelin said, staring off into space as she spoke.  She felt almost as if her soul was separate from her body, as if it were watching the worried posture of her body with an air of detachment.  "He hates that the king would offend his sense of honor."

            "What a loathsome man!  How brave you are for having survived a life as his servant and how fortunate 'tis that you are now safe from him!" Alinda breathed.

            "I shall never be safe from him until he is no more.  'Tis only his death that will set me free," Keelin replied.  She could feel Alinda's hands go still with shock and she decided that she had better explain further.  "'Tis not that I do not believe that the king will protect me.  'Tis merely that I know that my former master hates me above all other beings.  I am certain that he sees me as a witch who was responsible for his undoing.  He will do all he can to exact his vengeance upon me."

            Alinda seemed uncertain and Keelin could feel the vague trembling of the other woman's hands as she continued with her work on Keelin's hair.  Finally, she spoke, "He is more than loathsome, then.  He is evil."

            "Aye, I fear he may very well be," Keelin sighed.

            "You are safe here.  He could not possibly get to you," Alinda insisted stubbornly.

            Not wanting to worry her friend any further, Keelin decided to humor her.  "Aye, there is no place safer in all the kingdom than in the heart of His Majesty's own castle."

            Keelin could hear Alinda expel a nearly inaudible sigh of relief.  "That is true," she said.  Her hands grew steadier and she worked them through Keelin's hair rapidly.  "There, I am finished."

            Keelin touched a hand to her head, feeling the neat and tightly woven braid.  "Thank you," she said.  She turned to face her friend, looking her in the eye with a serious expression.  "How fortunate I am to have you as a friend."

            Alinda smiled gently.  "'Tis I who am fortunate.  How alike we are!  'Tis almost as though we are sisters."

            Keelin smiled back and took the other woman's hand.  "Sisters for all time?" she asked.

            "Nothing shall ever part us," Alinda answered.  The two women clasped hands briefly and then Alinda straightened her legs out.  "Come now, 'tis time for sleep.  We will ruin our eyes staring in the darkness and we have much work to do yet."

            "Indeed.  We must be well rested so that our fingers might fly as quickly as possible.  Good night, Alinda."  Keelin moved from her friend's pallet and onto her own, stretching her body out with a sigh.

            "Good night," Alinda answered, her voice muffled because she was lying on her side, facing away from her friend.

            Keelin lay upon her pallet and felt a great weariness overtake her limbs, but still she could not sleep.  The chamber grew very quiet, occasionally punctuated by the soft snoring of one of the other women or the sound of a rodent scurrying around behind the walls.  The chamber was as black as pitch, but Keelin could see a silvery light filtering in through one of the window slits.  Sighing in defeat, she rose from her pallet and wandered over to it, gazing out at the night.

            Her mind would not be quiet.  It was turbulent with many unspoken fears of her former master, concerns for the safety of England, and unnamed emotions inspired by its prince.  At least Keelin knew where she stood with the other two matters.  She still did not understand what her confused emotions over the prince meant.  She was not sure that she wanted to know.

            She longed to change into her peasant garb and flee the walls of the castle in favor of the sanctuary of the forest.  Realistically, though, she realized that the forest was no longer a sanctuary.  It was filled with unspoken dangers now that her former master was on the loose.  She should remain within the castle walls, a prisoner to the unholy cruelty of the man she had once served.

            Keelin gazed at the moon as her mind filled with thoughts.  She could not help but wonder what her purpose was.  She had enjoyed times of love and happiness and then borne years of cruelty and fear, but she had never once wondered what she was meant to do on Earth.  Now she could not help but wonder.  She had been saved from her cruel master at the expense of England's safety and now she was having thoughts about a prince that she had no right to think.  She should have married a house servant and lived out her life doing chores for the earl, not enjoying the privilege of consorting with royalty.

            She remained at the window for a long time, until her exhausted body finally began to sway, threatening to leave her sprawled on the cold stone floor.  She crept back to her pallet, crawling under her blanket.  Its warmth did nothing to stave off the uncontrollable shivering that overcame her.  Even as she fell into sleep, she knew she would not get any rest.  There were too many black images running through her mind.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9 

            The days and the nights passed in an endless pattern of anxiety.  The French king was pleading ignorance as to the whereabouts of Mordrid, but he had always hated the English king and was not to be trusted.  He would, no doubt, like nothing more than to waltz through the gates of the castle and seat himself upon the throne of England.  And so the search for Mordrid pressed on.

            The prince and his men had never trained harder in all their lives.  They grew strong, skilled, and wary.  The slightest odd noise brought their hands immediately to sword hilts, muscles tensed in readiness.  Rhain did not know how much longer they could go on that way.  Many of these men had wives and children outside of the castle walls.  They had their own homes that he knew they longed for, even if they never complained of it aloud.  

            Finally, after weeks of waiting, the king decided that he would send the men back to their homes.  He was simply tired of living in fear and angry that Mordrid had driven them all to that point and had decided that it was time for life to continue as normal.  He would not allow a traitor to ruin the peace of his kingdom.

            During this time, Rhain had seen and spoken with Keelin a few more times, but always in the presence of his friend Edwyn.  Now that the servant girl trusted the prince, she had no difficulty accepting the presence of his friend at their meetings.  Strangely enough, Rhain noted that she even had a look of relief on her face at times when she entered the chamber and saw the giant already there.  He felt a strange twinge at the relief on her face but he did not analyze the twinge.  Instead, he did his best to ignore it.  

            Every time he rambled through the forest, he found that he had to remind himself to breathe because he found that he was holding his breath in expectation.  With every turn he was certain that he would round the bend and come across her.  The sensation that accompanied this certainty was equal parts dread and hope.  He also did his best to ignore those sensations.

            One dark, cool night, Rhain found that, once again, he could not sleep.  He paced the floor of his chamber, his boots beating out a soft tattoo on the stone floor.  He wore only a blousy white shirt and tight black breeches.  The tails of his shirt hung free of his breeches and his laces at the wrist and chest hung free, undone.  He ran his hand through his already disheveled hair, which was also hanging loose.  Finally, he could stand it no longer.  If he paced the length of his chamber one more time, he was certain he would go mad.  He needed to escape, to get outside so he fled to the battlements.

            He walked briskly, taking deep breaths of the raw air.  The wind blew his hair around his face, caused his shirt to flap away from his body.  Suddenly, he looked up and swore he saw a ghost.  The solitary figure of a woman in white seemed to float along the battlements, her filmy gown seeming to flutter in slow motion.  As he watched, the wraith-like figure came closer and he could see a dark mass of curls flying in the wind like banners.  He caught his breath.  He knew who it was.

            She did not notice him, so he stood for several moments studying her, uninterrupted.  She seemed oblivious to the wind that whipped her skirts into a froth and molded her gown to her so that he could clearly see how her tiny waist curved down to the swell of one ripe hip, which in turn curved down to a shapely thigh.  The wind tossed her hair about, flinging it against her delicate cheeks and neck.  Her pale hands were at her throat, clutching at the neck of her white linen gown and wrap.  She gazed out into the night as if searching for something with all her might.

            When she finally noticed him, she gasped in surprise and perhaps a tinge of fear.  She froze, as if she were some beautiful work of sculpture, her eyes locked onto his.  At last, she managed to move, sinking down to her knee in front of the prince, her face respectfully lowered so that it was lost in a mass of wind-whipped hair.  She looked wild and lovely, causing Rhain to feel a strange sensation in the pit of his stomach.

            "Pray, arise," Rhain said, awakening from his stupor after a long moment of studying the woman before him.

            "I thank Your Highness," she said, her voice so quiet that it was almost carried away on the wind.  As he watched, she clutched the wrap more tightly at her throat with her left hand, her head modestly lowered so that he could not see the expression on her face.  Her right hand nervously grabbed at her hair, twisting it into a rope as if she were embarrassed by its appearance.  He knew enough about her to know that she was most likely thinking of the impropriety in a meeting like this.  He could almost say with certainty that she wished she had dressed in her usual servant's garb and that she had at least braided her hair.

            "What brings you out on such a night?" he asked, looking away from her for a moment and staring out into the inky darkness.

            "I could not sleep," she answered, simply.

            "Are you not comfortable?" he asked, immediately.

            "Oh, nay, Your Highness.  I have never been happier in my position.  'Tis simply that my thoughts are troubled."  As he turned to look at her again, she turned her face toward the abyss beyond the castle.  She stared up at the moon, as if hoping the answer to her problems was written upon its face.  Its light shone down on her, doing nothing to dispel the illusion that she was actually a ghost.

            "What is it that troubles you?" he asked her.  He propped his right foot on the battlement's low wall, resting his wrists on his knee so that his hands dangled loosely.  She turned to look at him and he could see the surprise clearly written on her face.  She was astonished that he might care about what was bothering her.  Embarrassed, he turned his gaze toward the moon.

            "Things do not seem quite right," she said, her voice growing very quiet once again.  "He has been too quiet."  She spoke almost as if to herself, almost as if she had forgotten that he was present.

            "That is what troubles me as well," Rhain sighed.  He ran his hand through his mass of unruly red-brown hair.

            "Perhaps this is just what he wanted," Keelin mused.

            Rhain turned and looked at her in surprise.  "What do you mean?"

            She blushed and averted her gaze from his.  "Not that he wished for me to be under Your Highness's protection.  I mean that I cannot help but think that he is baiting us, knowing that we will worry, and knowing that we will fear.  I believe he will let us wait for a long time, until we become confident that the threat of him no longer exists.  Then, he will strike."

            Rhain considered her words.  "There is sense in what you say," he replied.  "Mordrid thrives on knowing that we suffer and lusts at the thought of our growing comfortable once more.  He is certainly capable of such diabolical actions."

            "Aye, but what is to be done?" Keelin asked, her voice suddenly pleading.  She was now looking directly at the prince.

            Rhain moved his leg from the wall and stood to face her again.  "We can continue searching for him.  We can continue training so that our men are strong and ready.  Most importantly, we can be certain that we never let our guard down for 'tis then that he will strike."

            She gazed once more out into the night.  "I wonder that God created such a man."

            "He is no creation of God," Rhain replied.

            Keelin turned again to look at him, her eyes pleading and soulful.  "I fear him so," she said.

            "There is no need.  He cannot possibly reach you," Rhain said, by way of simple reassurance.  His voice was firm and confident.  If there was one thing he was sure of, it was that Mordrid would not ever get a chance to touch even one hair of this woman's head again.  Keelin shivered slightly and Rhain eyed her critically.  "You should not be out here.  You are not properly dressed.  You will catch your death standing on such cold stones in such unforgiving winds."

            "Could not the same be said for Your Highness?" she asked, softly.

            "I suppose it could be," he admitted.  "Then there is only one thing left to do."

            She eyed him quizzically.  "What is that, Your Highness?"

            "Why, to return to our chambers, of course," he answered, his voice soft.

            The look she gave him was a mixture of surprise and of something that looked like disappointed expectation.  He felt himself quiver at what had just passed between them.  He wondered how they had managed to get themselves into such an awkward situation.  There were so many things he wanted to say to her at that moment, but he couldn't seem to find his tongue.

            "Aye, I believe Your Highness is perfectly correct," Keelin answered, her voice sounding somewhat strained.  "Excuse me, Your Highness."  She went into a low curtsey before him.

            He was now truly flustered.  "Might-might I escort you to your chamber?" he asked her, stammering over his words.

            "I have no wish to trouble Your Highness," she said, and this time he could hear quite clearly that her voice definitely was strained.

            "'Tis no trouble," he offered, very awkwardly, but she was already hurrying away from him.  Whether she had heard him and pretended she had not or she really had not heard him, the prince could not say.  All he knew was that he felt strangely rooted to the spot as he watched dumbly while she hurried away from him, her white gown and her golden curls flashing in the moonlight.

*****

            Keelin felt her hands shaking as she walked away from the prince.  She could not believe what had just transpired between the two of them.  He had acted so strangely toward her that it was now clear to her that he really wished to have nothing to do with her.  He had probably been acting so obligingly simply in the hopes that she would continue to spill her secrets to him.  Never in her life had she felt so used, not even by her former master.  She tried to tell herself that it did not matter what he did.  He was her sovereign and it was her duty to serve him in any way that she could.  Still, in spite of her reverence for king and country, she could not help her all too human feelings from surfacing.

            She heard him call out after her, but she pretended that she had not and continued walking.  She hurried off the battlements and practically hurtled herself down the winding staircase of one of the towers, fleeing for the safety and familiarity of her chamber, but stopping outside of its door.  Keelin flung herself back against the wall, willing her sobbing, heavy breaths to quiet and slow themselves.  She could not go into the chamber in her current condition for she did not want to risk waking the other women, especially Alinda.  Her friend was certain to be concerned and question her if she saw Keelin in her current state.

            With all her might, she tried to push her thoughts of the prince from her mind, but she was not very successful.  She kept picturing him as he had looked up on the battlements.  He had always been so perfectly and richly dressed, so impeccably elegant when she had seen him in the past.  Tonight, though, he had looked so raw, so natural that it was uncanny.  Never in her life had she felt so certain that she was nearly his equal as she had this night.  She found him so much less intimidating in his simple breeches and flowing white shirt that flapped around him in the wind.  His hair had whipped across his face as he spoke with her and she was surprised at how badly she wanted to reach out and smooth it away.  It was such a striking auburn shade and she had wondered how it would feel in her fingers.

            Pressing a hand to her forehead in distress, Keelin gritted her teeth and pushed as hard as she could, mentally slamming the door on such recollections.  They were over and done with and all that was left was for her to learn from her own foolishness.  She should never have let herself become as caught up as she had.  She should simply have provided the prince with the information he wanted and then faded away as any other respectful servant would have done.  Keelin had not been mindful of her place and she began to feel that she deserved any pain that was the result of her impropriety.

            After a few moments her breathing calmed enough for her to return to the chamber.  She held her breath, tiptoeing through the sleeping forms of the other women in the hopes that she would not wake anyone.  Much to her relief, she did not, and she was able to slip back into her pallet without incident.  

            It was a restless night for her and she felt relief wash over her as she saw the tint of dawn spilling through the window slits.  She rose before all of the other women and scrubbed her face vigorously with the cold water that was in their chamber.  She yanked a comb through her hair and twisted it up on top of her head severely, finding some relief in the physical punishment.

            "You are certainly the early riser this morrow," Alinda said sleepily as she stumbled over to wash her own face.  She yawned, her mouth opened very wide.  Keelin had to smile.

            "I was eager for a new day to begin," Keelin said, truthfully.  She was glad for the new day because it was to also be the beginning of her new life.  She would no longer allow herself any more of her ridiculous fantasies with regard to the prince.  It was time she learned her place in the world.

            "I am never eager to leave the comfortable embrace of night," Alinda replied dreamily, as she slowly washed her face, hands, and neck.

            Keelin laughed softly at her.  "If you continue to speak thusly you will have to give up your sewing in favor of becoming a minstrel."

            Alinda laughed as well.  "Me, a minstrel!  That is certainly an amusing idea.  I suppose I could be quite a good minstrel.  I would simply cut my hair short and take to wearing a man's clothes.  No one would be the wiser."

            Keelin laughed at the mental image.  "And what a pretty man you would make!  I think that would not escape anyone's attention."

            Alinda smiled at her friend.  "That is better.  You seemed so serious a moment ago.  Have you something you wish to tell me?"

            Keelin's expression darkened and then softened.  "Alinda, you are a good friend and I know you ask only because you care, but I have nothing to tell.  I conceal nothing of importance from you."  She felt with all her soul that she was speaking the truth.  Alinda knew she was helping the prince by giving him information about the former earl.  And, since that was all that had occurred between them, Keelin was not keeping her friend in the dark.  There was no need to tell her friend about her foolish fantasies.  Those were best kept to herself.  At any rate, she was over them now.

            Alinda smiled briefly.  "I believe you tell the truth as you see it," she said, insightfully and then changed the subject.  "You are dressed already.  Do not wait for me.  I will see you in the sewing chamber soon enough."

            Keelin nodded and then headed for the door as her friend turned to dress.  It would be good for her to walk to the sewing chamber by herself and clear her head a little more before she was in the company of the rest of the women for the rest of the day.  She walked briskly through the corridors, clearing her mind of all thoughts of the prince.  It was time that she truly devoted herself to her work, and there was much of it.  Since the king had relaxed his defenses, the women of the castle had once again begun to demand new gowns and headpieces.  The sewing women were currently employed with embroidering and piecing together much finery.

            She reached the sewing chamber and sat down to her work.  It was a green head roll made of rich velvet that had been ordered by one of the countesses at court.  Keelin was busy sewing pearls around its circumference as the other women entered the chamber, quickly settling down to their own work.  She continued for a few hours, her fingers making swift, perfect stitches, until their peace was interrupted by an additional presence in the chamber.

            "But we have so much to complete already," Anne, the head seamstress, was saying.

            "Do you wish to argue with His Majesty?" an imperious male voice asked.  Keelin looked up curiously.

            "Of course I do not, but how are we to have such work done in the matter of a week?" the seamstress asked.   

            "I am certain you will find a way," the male replied.  Keelin could see that it was one of the king's personal tailors.  His tone of voice clearly implied that it was none of his concern just how the women were to get it done.

            The seamstress started to protest, but the tailor swept haughtily out of the chamber, and she turned to the other women in frustration.  "Good women, lend me your ears."  The other women now gave her their attention without pretense.  Most of them had been paying little attention to their work while the tailor was in the chamber, but none would admit to it.

            The seamstress was wringing her hands in distress.  When she noticed, she smiled nervously and promptly dropped her hands to her sides, scrubbing them against the coarse fabric of her servant's gown.  "There is to be a royal ball in a sennight.  The ladies of the castle require new frocks and we, as always, will not hesitate to supply them."

            A soft murmur swept through the chamber.  The women were looking at each other in disbelief.  They all could not help but wonder what had come over the king.  Just a week or two ago the castle had been in a state of lockdown and now he was suddenly throwing a ball for no reason.  It was all very strange.  However, aside from the strangeness of the sudden ball, the women were also very distressed due to the short amount of time they had to produce the necessary frocks and accoutrements for the ball.

            "I fear we shall have to work double shift," the head seamstress continued, eliciting groans from some of the women.  At the sound, the seamstress straightened her posture and glared out at the women.  "Are there those of you who do not believe it necessary to serve the king as His Majesty asks?" she demanded.  No one bothered to remind her that she herself had been protesting in much the same manner merely a moment or two ago.

            "We shall work double shift or even triple shift.  We shall do whatever is required to oblige His Majesty," Alinda spoke up.  Keelin was surprised by her normally shy friend's show of boldness.

            The head seamstress nodded in satisfaction.  "That is as I believed.  We must never forget that it is our good fortune to serve His Majesty as we do.  We shall work very diligently to ensure that 'twill be a splendid ball."  The women all murmured their assent and returned to their work.

            Throughout the day, the sewing chamber was flooded with requests for gowns, banners, and various other accessories for the ball.  It seemed the whole castle was in an uproar but Keelin could not feel sorry for herself.  She would be working long hours, it was true, but so would all the other servants in the castle.  It seemed that this was to be quite a grand ball, although the women were still unable to learn why the ball was to occur.  The curiosity ate away at Keelin as she stitched and stitched until her eyes burned and every muscle and sinew in her back throbbed.

            She worked a sixteen-hour shift with only a short break for her dinner.  When she was finished, she could scarcely drag herself back to her chamber to grab a few hours of sleep.  Just before she drifted off, she realized with satisfaction that she had gone nearly the whole day with nary a thought of the prince.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"A ball?" Rhain asked, incredulously.

            "Aye, a ball," his father answered.  Rhain shot a quick look at his mother and saw that she was wringing her hands, a look of anxiety on her face.  This did not bode well for him and he felt a growing sense of dread.

            "And what, may I ask, is the occasion for this ball?" Rhain asked his father.

            "'Tis to greet the arrival of King Giovanni of Italy.  As you know, I have tried for a very long time to gain his friendship and he has finally consented to visit me.  Therefore, I must show him all the courtesy in my power," the king answered, blandly.  His look was calm and steady.

            "I was unaware that you had had such a breakthrough in your communications with Italy," Rhain replied, flatly.  He did not like being kept in the dark about such matters.

            "I only just learned of the king's intended visit today.  So you see, he did not allow me much time for preparation."

            "How very inconsiderate of him," the prince murmured.

            The king smiled at his son.  "'Tis an inconvenience that I am willing to overlook.  After so much time and energy, one cannot afford to be too particular with regard to a show of friendship on the part of Italy."

            "Nay indeed," Rhain answered.  "Still, I think it strange that the king suddenly agreed to a visit.  Have you any explanation for his change of heart?"

            "It would seem that our Italian friends are feeling some pressure from France.  'Tis my belief that they seek an alliance with us.  Of course, such an alliance would be mutually beneficial so I am naturally eager to do whatever I may in my power to promote it."

            "Naturally," Rhain replied, his suspicions rising by the minute.  He felt the need to flee his father's chamber right away.  "If you will excuse me father, I have a matter that I must discuss with Sir Edwyn."

            "Certainly, my son," the king answered.  

            Rhain strode toward the door eagerly and his hand was on the handle when his father's voice stopped him.

            "Oh, there is one thing more," the king said with feigned casualness.

            "Aye?" Rhain said, turning back to face his father.

            "King Giovanni will be bringing his daughter, Concetta, with him.  She is reputed to be very beautiful and very vivacious."

            "How charming," Rhain said, through gritted teeth.  He now knew why his mother had looked so nervous.  She must have known the whole time what his father was about.

            "Of course, I expect that you will pay particular attention to her while she is here, to show her father that our courtesy extends to his whole family."

            "What sort of attention exactly do you expect me to show her?" Rhain asked, his voice cold.  He was now facing his father, his stance challenging.

            "I expect that she shall be your dinner partner as well as your dancing partner the evening of the ball."

            "What if I were to tell you that I do not particularly care for a ball, especially considering our present circumstances?"

            "'Tis of no significance whether you care for a ball or not," his father answered, his voice deadly calm.  "You will attend and you will pass the evening in the company of the Italian princess.  I should think you would understand that 'tis especially imperative, considering our present circumstances."

            "I have not the time for balls and foolishness," Rhain spat contemptuously, "and I certainly have no time to entertain yet another foreign princess.  I made my sacrifice with that poor excuse for a princess from Spain and I have no intention of repeating the experience with any Italian princesses.  You may find her another dance partner and another husband.  I am not available."

            Before his father could speak, Rhain stormed out of the chamber and toward his own.  He was seeing red.  He could not believe that his father was once again trying to sell him off into marriage.  The prince had never met the Italian princess personally, but if the stories he had heard about her were true, she would make the Spanish princess seem like the most modest virgin that had ever lived.  Rhain knew very well that, once again, the treaty hinged on the possibility of his marriage with the other country's princess.  He was tired of being used as a pawn by his father.

            As he walked, Rhain's mind worked overtime.  His brisk pace helped to cool his anger and to help him think.  As much as he hated to admit it, his father was right.  Rhain knew that England's security was precarious at best at present and a treaty with Italy would help enormously.  It was imperative that they please the Italian king, and even if Rhain was not willing to go as far as his father, he knew that he must do all he could.  He would not marry the Italian princess, but he would consent to be her dinner and dancing partner for the ball.

            Frustrated, Rhain cursed his rotten luck.  He was truly in a foul mood now.  He entered his chamber and snapped at his attendant to send for his page, then stormed to his desk, pulling out quill and parchment and beginning to write.  The boy arrived, knees practically knocking, and Rhain knew that he had been warned that the prince was in a foul mood.  Chagrined, Rhain smiled at the boy.

            "You are, as always, very prompt," he said.

            "I-I th-thank Your Highness," the boy replied.  "How may I be of service?"

            "I need you to carry this message to my father," Rhain replied.  He finished his message, signed it with a flourish, and sprinkled sand on it.  He blew on it impatiently and then folded and sealed it.  "'Tis extremely important," he said, as he handed it to the boy.

            "I understand, Your Highness," the boy replied, scurrying from the chamber.

            Wearily, Rhain dropped into his chair and leaned his head back.  He drummed his fingertips on its arm and tried his best to think.  Unfortunately, he found that visions from the previous night kept interrupting his thoughts.  He could still see the paleness of Keelin's face, the way the moon shone off the golden strands of her hair.  He could see her hair and her gown being tugged by the insistent wind, affording tantalizing glimpses of the figure that lay beneath.  He remembered clearly the lines of worry on her face and how he had wanted to smooth them away with his fingers, kiss them away with his lips.  Startled by this sudden revelation, Rhain's fingers stopped tapping and instead gripped the arms of his chair.  What was he thinking?  Mercifully, his thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the chamber door.

            "Come in," Rhain called out, his voice somewhat strangled.

            The door swung open and Edwyn stepped into the chamber, closing the door behind him with a resounding boom.  He approached his friend and immediately lowered himself into the chair on the other side of Rhain's desk.

            "Is it true?" Edwyn asked.

            "Is what true?" Rhain asked, puzzled.

            "Is it true that King Giovanni is to come in a sennight?"

            "Aye," Rhain replied, his voice tired.

            "And is it true that there is to be a ball in his honor?"

            "Aye."

            "And is it true that…"

            "Aye, 'tis true that I am intended to be the partner of the king's daughter, Concetta.  Aye, 'tis also true that, once again, my father wishes to force me into a political marriage."  Rhain smiled wryly and shook his head at the dark look on his friend's face.  "Come now, Edwyn, you can hardly be surprised by this.  Did you honestly think my father would give up so easily?  You and I both know that he shall never rest until he has married me off to his own gain, never mind that the women he chooses for me are made noble solely by birth and not by conduct.  My father chooses women for me not by their virtues but merely by the virtue of their being born the daughters of kings."

            "'Tis unthinkable," Edwyn muttered under his breath.  "If such are the only women to be had, there is something to be said about celibacy."            

            Rhain laughed appreciatively.  "Indeed there is," he agreed and then sighed.  "Unfortunately, my father is right in that we must do our best to court King Giovanni, if not his daughter.  An alliance with Italy is most desirable, if not most imperative.  Alas, because of this I must submit myself to attending the ball with this woman."

            Edwyn sighed heavily.  "Are there no longer any virtuous women upon this earth?" he asked.

            Rhain smiled ironically.  "Aye, my friend.  They are most likely members of the peasantry for we of noble blood entertain ourselves with the idea that we are superior to the peasants.  Indeed, I wager that the only virtuous women in existence are those of the lowest social position and, therefore, they are unattainable to men such as us.  Because of our arrogance, we are doomed to be plagued for all our lives by finding ourselves married to women of loose virtue."

            Edwyn looked at his friend in surprise.  "Really, Rhain, I have never heard you speak thusly.  Forgive me, for you have always been fair but I have never heard you speak of the peasantry in such a complimentary manner."

            "My friend, I have learned a great deal in these past months," Rhain replied, simply.

            Edwyn looked seriously at his friend for a moment and Rhain knew that there was something that Edwyn wanted to say.  Rhain could see that Edwyn was struggling within himself, trying to decide if he had the right to speak.  Finally, his friend came to a decision.

            "Has this anything to do with that servant girl?" he asked, almost as if he were able to look straight into Rhain's most private thoughts.

            Rhain sighed heavily.  "I cannot lie to you, my friend.  Aye, it has to do with the servant.  It seems that ever since she came into my life I am no longer destined to be the same man.  She has truly opened my eyes to the peasantry.  I never before paid them any mind, but she led me to see my own arrogance and ignorance."

            Rhain could see the flash of anger that passed across his friend's face.  "Who does this girl think herself?  She has not the right to accuse you of arrogance or ignorance."

            "Nay, my friend, you are wrong.  She has every right.  'Twas my intention to use her most ill.  I had no regard for her feelings, for her welfare.  If this were to be my attitude towards every peasant, what kind of king would I be?  Nay, she has not offended.  Rather, she has done me many great services."

            Edwyn looked very concerned.  "Consider, Rhain, the danger of this situation.  You may, of course, have any woman that you want, but do not risk your heart in this manner.  You may bed the woman if 'tis your wish, but you may never have any further connection with her."

            "I have no intentions of bedding her," Rhain said angrily.  He could not even stomach the thought.  He could not deny the strength of his physical attraction to Keelin, but he would never even dare to consider making a whore of her.  He had far too much respect for her for that.

            Edwyn now looked truly alarmed.  "Do not be angry," he said.  "'Tis most apparent to me that you think very highly of her and I meant no offence to her or to you."

            Rhain eyed Edwyn with a level gaze.  "You are alarmed because you think my interest in her to be much too strong.  I understand your concern and am touched by it, but assure you that there is no need for it.  I am nothing if not every moment conscious of the position that I occupy and would do nothing to jeopardize it."

            "I know you would never intentionally do so," Edwyn answered.  He regarded Rhain shrewdly.  "Have you any further information that you may gain from her?"

            "I do not believe so," Rhain admitted.

            "Forgive me, Rhain, but I must speak plainly as I am your friend.  I believe it wise for you to terminate your connection with her.  Make it clear that she has served you well and that she has your gratitude, but do not continue your acquaintance any longer.  'Tis too dangerous for you to do so."

            Rhain was silent for a moment, brooding darkly over his friend's words.  "I know you speak as a friend, Edwyn, and I am most grateful for your friendship.  I see the wisdom in your words and agree that I must do all I can to separate myself from this woman," he said, at last.

            The relief that Edwyn felt was visible on his face.  "That is most wise."

            "Indeed, there can be no other interpretation of the matter," the prince agreed.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11 

            It had been a long three days for Keelin in which it seemed she did nothing other than work.  In fact, she had barely slept or eaten because she had not the time.  Not a day had passed in which she worked less than sixteen hours straight and this day was no exception.

            The back of her neck was more sore than it had ever been and she groaned as she rubbed it with an extremely weary hand.  She knew that she should head straight back to her chamber and get some sleep, but she just needed a few moments to herself, a few moments of peace and quiet.  Keelin had very little time to think about her predicament with the prince during the day, but at night it hit her full force.  She needed to find a place where she could do some serious thinking.

            Keelin wandered her way into the castle's chapel.  She felt that there was no one else left to talk to, save for God.  She did not understand why she was in her current position and felt that her only option was to pray to God to alleviate the situation.  Keelin knelt for many minutes in front of the altar, praying silently, before rising awkwardly to her feet, crying out involuntarily at the twinge in her back.  She moved away from the altar and seated herself in one of the pews to continue her prayers.

            She did not know how long she sat, alternately praying and dozing, before she became aware of another presence in the chapel.  It was very late and she was certain that it could only be the priest.  She felt certain that no one else would be up so late and in the chapel.  She started to turn with the intention of speaking with the priest and asking him to help her repent her sins, when she saw that the other person in the chapel was the last person on Earth she had expected to see.

            Keelin and the prince stared at one another awkwardly.  She became very much aware of her coarse gown with its white apron that was stained with tiny spots of blood from where she had blotted her much-pricked finger.  A modest white cap covered her head, but could feel the multitude of ringlets that had escaped throughout the day as she had sweated over her work.

            The prince looked equally disheveled.  He wore a white shirt, black breeches, boots, and a jerkin, but his clothing looked wrinkled and worn.  His face was weary; his mouth appeared pinched with tension.  His auburn hair had been carelessly tied back with a leather thong.  She could see that he wore bracers and could not help but wonder if he had been training all the day long.

            "Forgive me," he said, speaking first.  "I did not mean to invade your peace."  He began to beat a swift retreat towards the chapel door and Keelin rose hastily in alarm.

            "Oh nay, Your Highness, 'tis I who should leave so that Your Highness may pray.  I have been here for a while and am finished with my prayers," she said, popping up from her seat and attempting to flee through the doors faster than him.

            In her haste, she cut too close of a path and bumped into him full force.  Overcome by weariness, she stumbled and nearly fell but, once again, found herself caught by the powerful grip of the prince.  As she moved her gaze to his, she felt her mouth go dry.  He was studying her with a strange intensity.

            "'Tis not God with whom I wish to speak, 'tis you," he admitted.

            Her mouth was too dry for her to be able to speak, so she simply nodded, her eyes wide with something like terror.

            "Come with me," he said, finally letting go of her, as he turned toward the door.

            Keelin followed mutely, her feet dragging with exhaustion as she tried her best to keep up with the swift pace of the prince.  He led her to his study and she gratefully accepted the chair that he offered her, collapsing into it as she felt her bones turn to water.

            "Are you quite well?" he asked her, concern evident upon his face.

            "Forgive me, Your Highness," she mumbled, almost unable to speak, so great was her fatigue.  "I am merely tired."

            The prince looked as if something had suddenly dawned on him.  "Have you been working very much as a result of the upcoming ball?"

            "We have worked ceaselessly for the past three days," she answered.

            "Then I shall not keep you for long as you must be nearly exhausted.  I merely wanted to tell you that I truly appreciate the information you have offered to me.  It has been most valuable.  You have done both your king and your country a great service," he said.  He seemed as if he wanted to continue, but his voice faltered.

            "There is nothing that I would not do in the service of my king and country," Keelin replied, feeling more awake by the moment.  She began to feel jumpy and nervous about where this little speech was going.

            "Aye, that is most proper," the prince murmured, almost to himself.  He did not speak for several moments.

            "Is there anything more Your Highness wishes of me?" Keelin finally asked.

            "Nay, nay…Once again, I thank you," he said.

            "I am not deserving of such thanks.  'Tis I who wish to thank Your Highness for the many great services that have been rendered on my behalf.  Forgive me, but if there is nothing more you wish of me, I ask if I may take my leave."

            "Oh, of course," the prince said, looking as if he were shaking himself back into the present.

            "Good night, Your Highness," Keelin said, feeling very confused.  She bowed low before him.

            "Good night, Keelin," he said, his voice soft.  

            Keelin felt herself freeze at the sound of his voice speaking her name in that manner and then she attempted to flee his chamber.  However, she was once again stopped by him.

            "I wonder if you would be so kind as to spare me more of your time for there is something I wish to ask you, if I may," the prince said.  Keelin turned to see that he had risen from his chair and had walked halfway toward the door.

            "Of course, Your Highness," she murmured.  She turned toward him and met his glance attentively, her hands folded into her apron.  His gaze fell down to it and he looked alarmed.

            "Why is there blood on your apron?" he asked.

            Keelin felt her face go bright red with shame and embarrassment.  "Forgive me, Your Highness, if my appearance offends.  I am afraid I am not always as nimble with my needle as I should be.  I pricked my finger several times today."

            "Your finger," the prince repeated, somewhat dumbly.  "Is it all right?"

            "'Tis perfectly well," she replied, blushing ever more furiously.  "It shall heal in a few days' time.  'Tis worth my small injury to know that I am helping to prepare for His Majesty's ball."

            "I am glad to know that 'tis not a more serious injury," the prince replied.  The response struck Keelin as very strange and a little alarming and she was eager to change the subject.

            "I believe there was something that Your Highness wished to ask me?" she prompted.

            "Aye, aye, indeed.  Please, be seated," he said, returning to his seat.  He waited until she was settled in her own before posing his question.  "I wonder, will you be so kind as to tell me about your childhood and your parents?" he asked.

            Keelin could hardly have been more shocked.  It seemed such an odd question and she wondered why he cared.  He normally only asked her about the earl and had only seemed interested in the details of her personal life that directly concerned the earl.

            "Why, certainly, if Your Highness wishes it," she said.  She knew that her surprise was evident in her voice but was simply unable to suppress it.  "What is it that Your Highness wishes to know?"

            "Was it a happy childhood?" he asked her.

            "Aye, 'twas very happy," she said, her voice softening and her body relaxing at such pleasant recollections.  

            The prince prompted her with a few more questions until she began to simply speak freely with him, telling him all about her childhood.  He listened very attentively and laughed when she laughed, was sober when she was.  Before long, she found herself talking to him very easily and the hours slipped away quickly.

*****

            Rhain hardly knew what had led him to this moment.  When he had seen Keelin in the chapel, he had asked her to come with him with the intention of making it clear to her that their acquaintance was at an end.  However, he had found himself so worried about her obvious exhaustion that he had been unwilling to let her go.  In fact, he had been unable to let her go without satisfying his curiosity and so he indulged himself by asking her about her childhood.

            At first, she had seemed very hesitant about speaking with him and had obviously wondered why he cared.  He felt pain at this, but could hardly blame her.  He had never before asked her anything about her childhood that did not directly relate to his line of inquiry about the earl.  

            He found himself charmed by her stories, his heart gladdened by the sight of the smile that lit up her entire face.  It was obvious to him that, although she had suffered much in her life, she had also enjoyed years of great happiness when she was a child.  The more she told him, the more he wanted to know and he found himself admiring the way her beautiful eyes shone when she was happy and the curve of her mouth as she smiled.  Suddenly, no one else in the world existed save the two of them.

            "I must thank Your Highness for the great kindness shown me," Keelin finally said, when her stories had drawn to a close.

            "Nay, 'tis you who has done me a great kindness," the prince replied.

            "Your Highness is very kind but I could not possibly have…" she protested, but he held up his hand and looked at her seriously.

            "Before I met you, I believe that I was extremely self-centered.  I am ashamed of how little regard I had for my people.  Were it not for you, I would never have opened my eyes to their plight, would never have seen them for the individuals that they are.  I could never have begun to understand their worries or their pain.  As chagrined as I am to admit it, I may never have even noticed them.  But you have opened my eyes to a whole new world and made me a better person for it.  For that, I shall be eternally grateful to you," he said, his voice very sincere.

            "That is very kind," Keelin replied, "although I do think Your Highness is much too harsh.  You have always been a kind and fair master and my service is but insignificant.  I owe Your Highness so much more for saving my life and for making me as comfortable as I am today."

            Rhain smiled at her.  "You shall never convince me.  I will always be certain that whatever small services I have rendered you could never compare to the very great one you have rendered me.  In addition to your opening my eyes to my people, I have also had a great deal of pleasure in your conversation."

            "I cannot possibly have anything of interest to say to Your Highness," Keelin protested, averting her eyes from his.

            "On the contrary, everything that you say interests me," he said, his voice very soft.  His feelings were very intense and he could no longer deny them to himself.  No matter how foolish or dangerous, he was falling in love with this woman.

            "That is my great good fortune," Keelin said, equally softly.  

            "The good fortune is all mine," Rhain insisted.  "Might I beg the privilege of calling you a friend?"

            "I shall always be a most loyal friend to Your Highness," Keelin said.

            "Is that because you feel 'tis your duty?"  It was so important for him to know.  More than anything else in the world, he desperately wanted her to acknowledge him as a man rather than a prince.

            "'Tis indeed my duty," Keelin replied slowly, and Rhain felt his heart sink.  "However, 'tis also my pleasure.  Your Highness has shown the kindest of concern and regard for me, as any good friend would do.  I am aware of how fortunate I am to have the friendship of a prince, but I am also aware of how fortunate I am to have the friendship of such a man as Your Highness."

            Her words warmed his heart and caused him to smile broadly.  "So you are able to look past my crown?" he asked her.

            She smiled back at him.  "I know only too well the pain of being taken for what one is on the outside rather than what one is on the inside.  I admit that there was a time during which I could not look past Your Highness's crown, but as time passed and our acquaintance grew, I could not help but see what lay inside of you.  I believe that those of us who are not much acquainted with the peerage often see its members as mere symbols.  I think perhaps we forget that the members of the peerage also have a beating heart and that they too feel, just as we feel.  'Tis unfortunate, but true.  I believe we are simply too much in awe and that we cannot believe anything that might make us feel that we are even close to being the equal of a member of the peerage."

            "You are my equal in every way and my superior in many," Rhain said.

            Keelin looked taken aback at this comment.  "I would never presume myself to be the equal of Your Highness and certainly never a superior."

            He smiled warmly at her.  "You are a most virtuous woman who has a perfect understanding of her place in this world.  Your conduct is beyond reproach.  However, I wish you to understand that I consider you in every way my equal.  Because I happened to be born the son of a king does not in any way make me superior to you.  Indeed, I know many women of considerable birth who are much less virtuous than you."

            "Your Highness is too kind," Keelin said.  Rhain could see that she was beginning to look uncomfortable and he was afraid that he might scare her off.

            "Forgive me for keeping you so long," he said, feeling truly concerned and more than a little selfish.  "I must allow you your leave so that you may get some rest."

            "I thank Your Highness," Keelin answered.  She rose from her chair and bowed before him.  "I am grateful to Your Highness for this night.  It has been most pleasant for me."

            "And for me as well," he replied, rising from his own chair and returning her bow.  He could see the surprise in her eyes.  "Farewell, my friend.  May God bless your sleep with pleasant dreams."

            "Your Highness's as well," she replied.  She smiled briefly at him before turning and walking through the door, closing it gently behind her.

            When she was gone, Rhain could fully feel the shock of what had passed between them.  This night had been one of the most pleasant of his life and he knew that he was unwilling to deny himself the possibility of another night like it.  Now that he knew he was falling in love with this woman, the last thing he wanted to do was to deprive himself of her company, which grew dearer to him by the moment.

            He was very much in trouble.  He had been certain that no woman would ever touch his heart, let alone a servant.  There could be no good that would come out of this.  He could never hope to marry Keelin but it was a truth that he could not bear to face.  He could not believe the cruel hand that fate had dealt him.  At long last, he was learning to love, but she was a woman that he could never hope to have.  It would torture him for the rest of his days.

            The prince left his study and went into his bedchamber, stripping off his clothes and pulling his nightshift over his head, even though he was certain that he would never sleep that night.  His fingers trembled as he tried to do his laces and he finally had to give up on them.  He untied the leather thong from his hair and ran his fingers through the mass of waves impatiently.  He paced for several moments before forcing himself to get into bed and to try to sleep.

            As soon as he closed his eyes, he saw her lovely face before him, just as it had appeared as she sat across from him that night in his study.  He imagined himself freeing her of her cap, imagined her hair tumbling about her as it had the night on the battlements.  He imagined what it would be like to allow himself the sweet pleasure of tracing the fine features of her face with his fingers, caressing her silken skin.  Rhain trembled as he imagined running his fingers over her full lips and then replacing his fingers with his lips…

            He sat up suddenly in bed, sweating and cursing.  This surely was torture.  With all his body and soul he wished for and longed for Keelin to be beside him, to know the paradise of holding her in his arms.  He ached to know what it was to hold her tightly, to bury his nose in her hair and inhale the scent of her, to lose himself in her.  He longed for her to come to him, for her to help him to forget that an outside world existed, just as she had that night.  Rhain longed to make her his bride and to spend every night happily ensconced in the warmth of her presence.  He knew that if he had that, he would not want for anything else in his life.

                These and other similar thoughts plagued him the entire night.  Just as he had suspected, he did not get a single wink of sleep.  He could think of nothing but his increasingly beloved Keelin.  Most dangerous of all, he began to hope with all his heart that she was suffering as he was.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Thanks again to all my reviewers!  You definitely make this experience rewarding for me!  For Bil specifically, it's all semantics.  I said she had a "dark mass of curls" not a "mass of dark curls."  You're right in thinking her hair is lighter but when it's dark outside with little light, hair looks darker than it is.  I'm sure no one other than me cares about that picky level of detail so I'll just get on with the story.  ;)

*****

Chapter 12

Keelin was both relieved and filled with anxiety when the day of the ball finally arrived.  She was relieved because she was weary to the bone and was looking forward to the day of rest that the servants had been granted in reward for their tireless service.  She was anxious because she knew that her idleness would give her far too much time to reflect on all that had passed between her and the prince.

            Ever since the night in his study, her body had run hot and cold.  She would find herself nearly faint with heat at the thought of his kind words to her and would then find herself trembling with cold dread at what was to follow.  She was certain that she was only setting herself up for the bitterest of disappointments.  Her relationship with the prince must soon come to an end.  It was simply too dangerous to continue.  She did not know if he felt anything for her, but she knew that she must overcome what she felt for him.

            She was vastly relieved when Alinda asked her to take in the sights of the ball with her and the other servant women.  They would watch from high up in the loft overlooking the castle's ballroom.  Its many pillars would allow them to conceal themselves while still affording them an excellent view of the ball.  The sewing women were all anxious to see the fruits of their labor and were all exceedingly curious about the Italian royal family.  Keelin cared little for either of these sights; she simply did not want to be left alone with her thoughts.

            Keelin followed the other women to the loft, her thoughts too distracting for her to pay attention to what they were saying.  When they reached the loft, the other women's excited chatter ceased and they all peered down onto the ballroom floor.  There were many other servants lurking about as well, all eager to see what would come to pass down on the floor.

As Keelin watched, she saw the king and queen enter amidst much fanfare.  Alongside them walked the king and queen of Italy.  The Italian king was very tall and dark with a handsome face set off by raven hair and brows.  His hair was long and curly and tied with an elegant velvet bow at the nape of his neck.  He wore a magnificent crown of elaborately worked gold set off with diamonds.  Even from such a distance, the richness of its elegance was obvious.  He was shrouded head to toe in deep blue velvet.  

The Italian queen was exquisitely beautiful.  Her hair was a lighter color than her husband's, but was still a deep, rich brown that tumbled in luxurious curls down to her waist.  She wore a crown that matched her husband's, but was a smaller and more delicate version.  She was attired in a stunning gown in the same shade of blue velvet as his, elaborately embroidered in gold.

            The sewing women admired the Italian queen's gown, but could not help but feel that their own work on the English queen's purple velvet and satin gown was superior.  They were delighted with the way the banners had turned out and took turns excitedly pointing out to one another the various gowns and accessories that they had sewn, which now graced the ladies of the court.  Alinda chattered excitedly to Keelin, but Keelin was too distracted to pay her any mind.  She too was craning her head, but it was not in an attempt to find the gowns that she had embroidered.  

            Finally, her eyes fell upon her desired object.  Prince Rhain entered the chamber, escorting Princess Concetta.  He looked magnificent in his forest green velvet cape edged in ermine and a green velvet tunic, which was accented with intricate gold embroidery.  He wore green velvet breeches and hose and fine shoes upon his feet.  His magnificent hair was loose about his shoulders, the auburn color of it creating a striking contrast against the green of his cape.  He wore a smaller version of his father's gold and multi-colored gemstone crown and Keelin was nearly breathless at the sight of him.  He looked so majestic to her.

            She turned her gaze to the Princess Concetta and felt a strange stabbing sensation in her heart.  The princess was even more beautiful than her mother.  She looked as if she had walked straight out of a painting.  She wore a pale rose velvet gown with a low neck that showcased the porcelain perfection of her skin.  It was accented with pale rose silk and thread of gold embroidery and around her neck she wore a heavy necklace of diamonds.  Her hair was tied back in a series of small, elaborate braids wound with pearls and a gold and diamond tiara rested magnificently upon her mass of gleaming brown hair.  

            Keelin turned away from the sight and looked down at her own coarse gown.  She was a fool to have been thinking in the manner she had.  What was she, compared to a woman as magnificent and beautiful as the princess?  Could she really be so foolish as to think she had a chance of capturing the heart of a prince?  She cursed herself for her own folly and forced herself to turn back and continue watching, to punish herself.

            She watched everything that passed with an ever more acute sense of pain.  She could not bear to see the prince conversing with the princess as they dined, to see him throw back his head in laughter at something that she had said.  When the music started, it only served to increase her pain rather than alleviate it for she was forced to watch the prince take the princess into his arms and sweep her across the floor.

            The sewing women watched the ball for hours, until the increasing lateness of the hour and their own exhaustion began to claim them one by one.  The other servants that were lurking in the balcony began to disperse as well.  

            "Will you not come to bed?" Alinda asked Keelin as she prepared to leave.

            "Nay, I think I shall stay and watch a while longer.  I am not tired," Keelin answered rather listlessly.

            Alinda regarded her for a moment and Keelin wondered if by some chance her friend could have somehow guessed at what lay in Keelin's heart.  She feared that Alinda might say something, but her friend merely smiled.

"I understand," Alinda told her.  "'Tis a dazzling sight, is it not?  I could scarcely tear my own eyes away from the first royal ball I witnessed."

Keelin breathed a sigh of relief.  "Aye, I have never seen anything so wondrous and I must continue to watch," she told Alinda.  "Good night to you, my friend.  I shall not tarry much longer."

            "Tarry as long as you like.  Who knows when we shall have another ball?" Alinda replied with a smile.  She squeezed her friend's hand before departing the loft.

            Keelin watched for a while longer, leaning with her right cheek pressed against one of the pillars, until she could no longer take the torture.  She moved away from the rail overlooking the ballroom and further into the shadows cast by the pillars, slumping with her back against one as she lost her own strength.  Suddenly, the pain sliced through her and she began to cry quietly, sliding down the pillar until she was seated.  She wrapped her arms around her knees, burying her head in them and weeping openly.  She wept for a long time, until she was startled by a voice very near her.

            "What is the matter?" the voice asked, heavy with concern.

            Her heart nearly stopped.  She was certain she knew the voice and yet she could not believe it to be true.  She lifted her head swiftly and saw that the prince was squatting next to her.  She leapt to her feet, pressing herself back against the pillar awkwardly.

            "Your Highness, I-I…" she stammered and then could speak no more.

            "Why were you weeping?" he asked, looking at her with a great deal of concern.  He rose from his squat, stepping closer to her and looking into her red, swollen eyes.

            "I-I am merely tired," she answered lamely, wiping hastily at her tears.

            "That is no reason for weeping," he said gently and she knew that he did not believe her.  He studied her with a compassionate gaze and she felt herself coming undone.

            "Please, Your Highness, I beg you not to ask me to tell you why I was weeping," she said, desperately, her voice shaking.

            He pressed his lips together in a firm line, as if suppressing what he had been about to say.  "If you do not wish to tell me, I will not press you," he said, at last.

            She smiled tremulously at him.  "I am most grateful," she responded.  The strains of the orchestra drifted up into the hallway and Keelin glanced down to the dance floor.  She could see the princess dancing with the Duke of Northumberland.  "Why is Your Highness not down there?" she asked, keeping her gaze carefully averted from him.

            "Because I am here," he answered.  

            Keelin was flustered.  "Why does Your Highness not dance with the princess?"

            "She dances with the duke.  I am quite without a partner."

            "I am certain that there is someone down there who…"

            "But I am not down there, I am up here."

            Keelin stared at him stupidly, not comprehending where the conversation was leading.  "I do not understand," she said, at last.

            "We are both of us without partners and that will not do.  Will you do me the honor of granting me this dance?" he asked.

            Keelin was utterly astonished.  She felt as if all the breath had been knocked from her body.  The world seemed to come roaring at her and then retreat just as quickly.  She was afraid that she would faint.  She stood staring at the prince in his elegant dress, the prince that she was beginning to love so well.  He was so handsome, so refined, so far above her that she could not believe that she was even fortunate enough to speak with him.

            "I am most honored, Your Highness, but truly I believe that a more suitable partner may be found…"

            "I am asking _you_," he said quietly, but there was intensity in his voice.  "Nay, I am _begging_ you."

            The notion of him begging her for a dance was so ridiculous that Keelin almost laughed aloud.  As if he need beg someone like her!  She was not even fit to walk the same ground as him.

            "Please, I care nothing for the princess.  I have strained all night to be cheerful and attentive because 'tis very important that her father sign a treaty in order to protect both of our countries.  I have not had a moment's pleasure all night.  All I ask is that you grant me one," he said, his voice like a gentle caress.

            "If it pleases Your Highness," Keelin found herself answering.  She could not believe that she had actually spoken the words, but the sound of his voice and the look in his eye had rendered her incapable of doing anything other than granting his request.  Indeed, she would have done anything for him, in that moment.

            The prince stepped closer to her and held out his hand.  Hers was shaking as she placed it in his.  The contact seemed to electrify her, causing her whole body to go weak at once.  Fortunately, at that moment, the prince swept her into his arms and began to move her through the dance.  She felt very lightheaded, as if none of it could be real.  She could not possibly be dancing with the prince, she in her coarse servant's gown and cap, dancing with this magnificent man dressed in velvet and adorned with a gold crown.

            "Are you familiar with this dance?" he asked her.

            She felt her cheeks burn, knowing that her awkward steps were in stark contrast to his elegant, fluid motions.  "Nay, I-I have never danced with anyone before," she answered.

            "Then simply allow me to lead you," he said to her, looking into her eyes.

            "I shall follow," she whispered, her words meaning so much more than he could possibly know.

            "Do not think, just allow yourself to feel," he instructed.

            Keelin nodded and followed his instructions.  She forgot about her anxiety, forgot about who she was and what she was doing.  She simply allowed herself to live in the moment and to follow his lead.  Her awkwardness began to fade and she found herself lost in the dance, lost in the moment.  She could still hear the music, but was conscious of nothing else save the prince and the feel of his hand in hers, his other hand upon her waist.  Her heart ached until she feared that it would burst.

            "You must have worked yourself blind, judging by the amount of embroidery on the ladies' gowns," he said softly, after a moment.

            "I enjoy the work," Keelin said, modestly.  She could hardly think for the feel of the shoulder of his velvet cape under her fingers.  The softness of it was divine but was nothing to match the warmth of his body that she could feel through the fabric.

            "And you are good at it.  The embroidery on the Italian gowns is nothing to the embroidery on the English gowns," he replied.

            Keelin looked up at him to see if he was mocking her and nearly gasped at the smile that was upon his face.  It was a smile of such pure happiness that she could not help but smile in return.

            "You flatter me," she told him, her smile widening.

            "I speak the truth," he told her.  The hand at her waist tightened, pulling her slightly closer to him and he shifted his other hand, twining his fingers with hers.  "You dance well for someone who has never before danced."

            "Only because you are such a fine tutor," she told him, her voice unsteady.

            She wished the dance would go on and on forever.  The prince did not reply to her statement, instead resting silent and gazing into her eyes.  Several moments passed and he seemed on the verge of saying something more to her when they heard the sound of a voice in search of him, calling out his name.  Fear stabbed through her and the two of them froze in their spot.  She heard the voice again and turned to flee, but the prince tightened his grasp on her hand, preventing her flight.

            "Please, I cannot see you again tomorrow for there is to be a boar hunt, but say that you will meet me in the forest the next day after I have taken my evening meal, in the same place where we met by chance last time," he said, speaking rapidly, his voice urgent.  His expressive eyes stared deeply into hers.

            "Nay, I…" she began.

            "Rhain, where are you?" the voice called out, much closer this time.

            "I beg you," the prince said, his eyes pleading.

            Even though she knew it was wrong, even though she knew it was dangerous, she could not deny him.  "I shall be there," she whispered.  

With those words, she slipped from his grasp and fled just in time.  Just as she reached the stairs and began her descent, she could hear the other voice asking the prince what he was doing and could hear the prince responding that he had stepped up there merely to take some air.  Her heart was pounding so loudly that she could hear no more and she increased her pace, taking the steps two at a time.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Rhain felt as if he were living in a haze the next day.  He went through the motions of his life, but his mind was constantly otherwise engaged.  No one seemed to notice except for Edwyn.  Rhain saw his friend studying him several times and could not help but notice the growing alarm on Edwyn's face.  His friend had always had the uncanny ability to read Rhain's mind and the prince was certain that Edwyn knew what was happening.

It was Edwyn who had found him the previous night and Rhain suspected that his friend had seen Keelin's retreating form.  At any rate, the knight certainly did not seem to believe the prince's explanation that he had stepped up into the loft to get some air.  Rhain could not blame him.  It had been a very lame excuse but the only one he could come up with at the time.  Since then, Edwyn had attempted to speak privately with Rhain several times, but they were always occupied with entertaining the Italian royalty and it was all Rhain could do to detach himself from the princess for a few hours of sleep.  It was blatantly obvious that she had great ambitions of marrying the English prince.

Rhain was forced to ride with her next to him at the boar hunt, but it suited him well enough.  He had no desire to kill any animals that day and the princess was so insipid that she talked the entire time and did not notice that he paid her very little mind.  He could see that she was determined to capture his attention, which did not surprise him.  Of all the princes of Europe, Rhain lived in the country that was the richest and the strongest, in spite of its precarious position with regard to France.  The Italian princess was eager to secure herself of the opulent lifestyle that she seemed to feel certain of living as the future queen of England.

The prince cared nothing at all for her.  She was extremely beautiful and he could see why many other men had fallen under her charms, but he did not think her nearly as beautiful as Keelin.  He was quite determined to believe that the simple servant woman was the most beautiful angel in the entire world.  What was more, the princess had not the same wit, sensibility, or intelligence that Keelin possessed in abundance.  Concetta was an exceedingly vain and silly creature who punctuated nearly every sentence with a tittering little laugh that grated on Rhain's nerves.  She was also extremely forward and made it blatantly obvious to Rhain that she was willing to please any and all of his whims.  This disgusted him.  The princess's complete want of virtue made it impossible for Rhain to think of her as anything other than a very bothersome creature.

As it was, he spent all of his time waiting impatiently for the day to end so that he could go to sleep and wake up knowing that he would once again see Keelin.  He bore the hunt as best he could, but he felt as if he were about to jump out of his skin.  All he could think about was the feel of her work-roughened hand in his and the feel of his palm against the curve of her waist.  He thought of her painfully lovely face and how he had nearly been unable to control his urge to wipe all of her tears away.

            Those tears intrigued him much more than they should.  He could not help but flatter himself that they had been for him, that her heart ached just as his did.  He knew that he should not make such assumptions, but he was desperate for any sign of assurance that she shared his feelings.  He did not know what he would do if he should find out that she did not love him.  The pain would be unbearable.

            Rhain was uncertain of exactly what would happen in the forest on the following day.  He had asked Keelin to meet him there simply because he wanted to spend some more time with her, but he found himself wondering if perhaps it was time for him to reveal his feelings to her.  Still, he could not quite bring himself to resolve upon that course of action.  As much as he might hope for a return of his love, he was not yet certain of the nature of Keelin's feelings for him.  He was afraid that if he revealed too much too early he would frighten her away.  The last thing he could bear would be for her to slip away from the castle in the night.  The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that he would have to tread very lightly until he knew where he stood with the servant woman.

            The other major problem standing in Rhain's way was his father.  While Princess Concetta was quite content to throw herself at the prince as much as she could, his father had also played a hand in the many hours that Rhain had been forced to spend with her.  The king had organized a variety of activities that ensured that Rhain would be spending as much time with the princess as possible.  Rhain knew just by looking at the expression on his father's face that the king was convinced that his son would not be able to resist the Italian beauty.  What was more, the king was doing all he could to become the best of friends with the Italian king and it was working quite nicely.  Rhain often caught the two of them glancing at their children with satisfied smiles on their faces as they exchanged conspiratorial whispers with one another.  It made Rhain's stomach turn.  He had never fully appreciated the plight of women until now.  It was unbearable to be a pawn that was being used to fulfill a father's ambition.  Rhain knew that he would have to confront his father, and soon.  He would not tell the king of his love for Keelin, but he would let his father know, in no uncertain terms, that he had not the slightest intention of ever wedding the Italian princess, or any other European princess, for that matter.  It was a battle to which he was not looking forward.

            He felt a blessed sense of relief when the hunt was finally over.  A few of his men had made kills and there would be a feast of roasted suckling pig that night.  Rhain practically groaned aloud in frustration.  He would have had to eat his dinner by the princess's side at any rate, but a feast would chain him to her side for much longer.  At least with a simple dinner he might have been able to plead a headache and escape from her for a while, but a feast would require much more of his time.  He knew that he was standing on tenuous ground at best and he knew that it was imperative that he be careful not to anger his father now.  The king was sure to be much angrier once he heard that his son did not intend to marry Concetta and Rhain was certain that he would be wrathful when he finally learned whom his son did intend to marry.  The prince hastily pushed that thought aside.  It was a bridge that he would cross once he came to it.

            "It has been a pleasure riding at your side all day, my lady," Rhain said as he and Concetta reached the castle.  "I look forward to dining with you tonight."

            "Today was a simple pleasure when compared to the pleasures that you and I will share in the future, my lord," Concetta said, sliding her hand from her throat to her bosom so that Rhain could not possibly mistake her meaning.

            The prince gritted his teeth and forced a smile.  "Until tonight," he said.  He leapt from his horse and offered her his assistance.

            "Aye, until tonight," she responded, sliding her body against his quite indecently as she dismounted her horse.

            Rhain dropped his hands from her sides as if he were handling hot coals and swept himself into a low, quick bow before her.  As soon as he rose, he hurried away from her.  As each step took him further away from her, he could feel the bands of tension surrounding his chest begin to ease.  He finally felt as if he could breathe freely once again.

            "Where is the fire?" a familiar voice asked, and Rhain turned to see Edwyn catching up with him.

            "Somewhere behind me.  It seems to have taken the form of an Italian princess," the prince responded dryly.

            Edwyn smiled at him.  "So you are not taken by the charms of the fair princess?"

            "She has precious little to offer by way of charms," Rhain said, his words clipped.  "I find her company intolerable.  I only wish I knew how much longer I must endure it."

            "His Majesty would have it that you would endure it for the rest of your life."

            Rhain grimaced.  "That has not escaped my notice."  He sighed heavily.  "'Tis certain that there will be a mighty battle between us once I tell him that I shall never marry that woman.  Edwyn, she is the most intolerable woman I have ever had the misfortune of meeting.  'Tis as if my father has decided to torture me for refusing to marry any other woman."

            "I think there are many men who would consider such a union anything but torturous," Edwyn said.

            "Aye and they are men who neither care for propriety in a wife nor a woman who is their equal.  If I were to marry that woman, I should go mad in less than a week.  I should have to carry on another crusade merely to separate myself from her for as long as possible."

            "I do not know her very well, but I could not help but notice that she is rather…" Edwyn paused as he searched for a polite word.

            "Forward?  She chases anything with a codpiece.  Any man who would marry that woman should not expect her to be a faithful and dutiful wife but rather the bane of his existence.  I am certain that she is destined to drive many men to the grave, if she has not done so already.  I will certainly not allow her to hasten me on my journey to the afterlife."

            "If she displeases you so, then I certainly do not wish for you to marry her.  But what will the king say?"

            "Need you even ask?" Rhain asked, with a groan.  "You and I both know what he will say.  Still, what does it matter?  He is determined to think the worst of me and I should not like to disappoint him.  I only hope that the Italian king will grow bored with the English court and hasten a return to Italy.  They have already been here more than a sennight.  They cannot stay much longer."

            "Perhaps," Edwyn replied.  "Or perhaps the Italian king and queen shall not leave until they see you wed to their daughter.  What then?"

            "I shall wait a while longer.  If they do not part for Italy within a sennight, then I shall speak to my father.  I only hope that it shall not become necessary for me to do so."

            By this time, the two men had reached Rhain's chamber door and the prince leaned against it wearily.  He knew that he did not have much time to ready himself for the feast.  He must soon hasten to robe himself in silks and velvets so that he might be considered fit to carouse with the Italian princess.

            "Rhain, you and I are old friends, are we not?" Edwyn asked, out of the blue.

            "Of course we are.  Why do you ask?"  Rhain was surprised and puzzled by the question.

            "As such, we have never had secrets between us, have we?" Edwyn continued.

            Rhain straightened his posture, pushing himself away from his door.  "Do you suspect me of keeping secrets from you?"  His voice held something of a challenge.

            Edwyn looked away, fixing his gaze on a spot just above Rhain's right shoulder.  He could not meet his friend's eyes.  "You have been acting differently lately.  I feel as though you seek to avoid my company.  Whenever I attempt to speak with you, you make haste to away from me."

            "I have been much engaged with the Italian princess, much to my dislike," Rhain said, trying to offer an excuse.

            Edwyn met his eyes at last.  "Nay.  There is something more there.  I shall not attempt to force your confidence, if you do not wish to place it in me.  I shall merely hope that you will soon see fit to tell me of that which you now conceal."

            Rhain sighed, unable to lie to his friend any longer.  "I do conceal something, but 'tis not because I do not trust you.  I pray you, Edwyn, do not think it a slight against you that I have not confessed it to you.  'Tis simply that I am greatly discomposed by my own thoughts and emotions and must sort through them myself.  I shall soon reveal all to you, my friend.  You have my word of that."

            "You have never given me reason to doubt your word," Edwyn replied.  "Although I find myself unsatisfied, I shall have to content myself with your answer, for the present."

            "Thank you, my friend," Rhain said.  He clapped the knight's shoulder and then went into his chamber to change for the dreaded feast.

*****

            Keelin spent the entire day in turmoil.  She should never have agreed to meet with the prince in the forest the next day.  He had just seemed so determined and she had been so afraid that his determination had made him deaf to the voice that was calling for him.  She truly thought that someone would stumble upon them and she could not bear to have someone else see the two of them together like that.  She was very protective of her own reputation, but she was far more worried about what kinds of conclusions about the prince someone might draw if they were to see him with her in that manner.

            Of course, Keelin also had to be honest with herself.  For as worried as she had been about being discovered with the prince, she had also agreed to meet with him in the forest because she so desperately wanted to see him again.  Her feelings for him were growing so powerful that they were nearly beyond her control, and that frightened her.  There could be no hope for a future for the two of them.  If anything were to happen between them, it would only lead to ruination and despair for the prince.  She would not be able to bear to see that happen to him.

            As hard as she tried, Keelin was not able to completely conceal her feelings and Alinda asked her about them later in the day, as they sat in a quite corner of the castle after their work was done.

            "Keelin, are you troubled by something?" Alinda asked.

            This time, Keelin did not even attempt to deny it.  "Oh, Alinda, my mind is much troubled," she confessed.

            "What is it that troubles you?"

            "I cannot tell you the exact nature of my trouble and I beg of you not to ask me to reveal anything more to you," Keelin said.

            "Very well," Alinda replied, looking a little hurt.  "But can you not at least attempt to ease your mind in some way by conversing with me?"

            Keelin was quiet for a long moment, turning it over and over in her mind.  At last, she decided to speak.  "What would you do if you felt strongly inclined to do something that you knew was wrong but which every fiber of your being desired?"

            Alinda looked a little alarmed.  "I am not certain what you could mean by that," she said, hesitantly.

            "'Tis not a crime, if that is what you feared," Keelin said.  "Instead 'tis a desire for that which is forbidden, for that which should be thought of as unattainable."

            Alinda looked confused for a moment.  "Is it something that may cause harm to another?"

            Keelin sighed in frustration.  "Oh, Alinda, 'tis so complicated.  I lack the skill to describe it in this way and I dare not tell you precisely what 'tis.  I can only say that 'tis something that seems to be against the laws of nature.  However, 'tis difficult to believe that it could be against the laws of nature when 'tis nature that compels me to desire it."

            Alinda shook her head sadly.  "'Tis much too difficult for me to comprehend.  I simply cannot advise you."

            Keelin was disappointed, but not surprised.  "Nay, of course you cannot," she said.  "I myself cannot fully comprehend it."

            "I may tell you that if it troubles you so, perhaps you should take that as a sign.  Perhaps you should understand your discomfort as a sign that 'tis not right," Alinda said, speaking carefully.

            "Aye," Keelin said, her heart sinking.  "That is what I thought as well."

            Alinda put a comforting arm around her friend's shoulders.  "'Tis not always for us to comprehend what we wish for in this life nor is it for us to question why we should not have everything we desire."

            "You are perfectly right," Keelin said.  "I have long been troubled and 'tis time for me to take the just path and to continue with my life."

            "I shall always be here to assist you," Alinda said.

            Keelin embraced her friend and the two women smiled at one another.  They were interrupted by the entrance of some of the Italian royal family's boisterous servants.  

            "How grateful I shall be when those odious Italians have returned to their own land," Alinda sighed as they watched the two men and two women behave in a very lecherous manner.  
            "Aye, so shall I," Keelin agreed.

            "Only imagine if His Highness should marry the princess!  We should never escape them then!" Alinda sighed.

            "Do not speak such words or you shall put a curse upon us," Keelin groaned, trying to ignore the stab of pain she had felt at her friend's words.  "How intolerable it would be were we forced to be always around such people."

            "Let us escape it as long as we are able," Alinda said, grabbing her friend and pulling her to the door.  

            The two women hurried from the chamber and into the hallway, collapsing in giggles at the outrageous behavior they had just witnessed.

            "To be fair," Keelin said, "I have witnessed similar licentious behavior among our own servants."

            "Aye," Alinda sighed.  "If only every servant were as chivalrous as his master.  The knights, the peerage, and the members of the royal family are all so chivalrous and elegant," she said dreamily.

            "Not all," Keelin said, tightly.

            Alinda's eyes widened and she clapped her hand over her mouth.  "Oh, forgive me, Keelin.  I did not mean…"

            "I know you did not," Keelin said, giving her friend a reassuring smile.  "'Tis simply that 'tis still difficult for me to think of my life as it once was without a great deal of pain."

            "I understand," Alinda said.  "Come; let us forget this gloomy talk.  'Tis time we dined with the other servants."

            Keelin shot her friend a grateful glance and followed the other woman into the servant's mess.  It had helped her to reveal even such a small part of her secret, but Keelin could not help but feel relief at the prospect of being in the middle of a crowd.  It was not that Alinda had been prying, but Keelin was very glad that her friend would have no further opportunity to question her.  There was no question that concealment was the only safe option for Keelin.

            Once dinner was over, all of the sewing women went straight to their chamber.  Keelin pretended to listen to their conversation, but her mind kept wandering to thoughts of the prince.  As the time for their next meeting drew nearer, Keelin found that she was growing increasingly nervous.  

            She hurried through the nightly routine of changing into her nightshift and braiding her long hair.  Alinda tried to talk to her friend, but Keelin feigned fatigue.  She simply needed some time alone with her thoughts. 

Once the other women had drifted off to sleep, Keelin rose from her pallet and gazed out the window slit.  The night was wild.  The moon was full and very bright, but its brilliance was intermittently obscured by the thin shreds of clouds that scudded rapidly across the sky.  The wind whistled around the stones of the castle and its eerie sound caused Keelin to hug herself for warmth.  It was nearly the witching hour and Keelin began to feel an eerie sensation take hold of her.

Old thoughts returned to haunt her, causing her to wonder where her former master was.  She had not thought much about him of late because she had been so wrapped up in her confusion over the prince.  It seemed a lifetime since she had lived in his terrible grasp.  Still, her fear of him and the pain of that existence were not forgotten.  It was as if she had closed the door on that part of her life and locked it, but there was a beast that was on the verge of breaking through the door.  She would never rest until the threat of the earl was permanently removed.  She was also unable to shake the very unnerving sensation that she would once again find herself in his grasp.

A strange sound jolted Keelin and returned her to her present reality.  It took her a moment to realize that the sound was the chattering of her own teeth.  She was trembling violently from a combination of fear and cold.  She foced herself return to her pallet, wrapping herself in her blanket in an attempt to end her shaking.  

It took many more hours before she was finally able to sleep, but it was not a peaceful sleep.  Her dreams alternated between nightmares about the earl and unnerving visions of the next day's meeting with the prince.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Rhain awoke the next morning with an intense sense of anticipation.  He did not know how he could possibly survive the hours until he saw Keelin.  He was worried that he would be so distracted by his anticipation of their meeting that he would not be able to function normally during the day.  

            The prince rose from his bed slowly, wanting to delay the time when he would have to leave his chamber and spend the day in the presence of his family and the Italians for as long as possible.  He walked over to the wall to the left side of his bed and pushed the tapestry aside, gazing out of his window.  The sun was just rising, spreading its mellow rays across the expanse of meadow that stretched around the castle, the edges of the rays just beginning to touch the secretive forest.  The air that leaked through his window was cool and crisp and there was not a cloud in the sky.  It promised to be a beautiful, cool, mid-autumn day.

            He tied the tapestry back and went to his door, opening it to summon his servant.  He had the man bring his clothing to him, but dismissed the servant, saying that he would dress himself.  His servant had brought him a cape and tunic in heavy dark blue velvet elaborately embroidered with silver thread and edged in ermine.  There was a black leather belt with an elaborate silver buckle for the tunic and blue velvet breeches to match.  He had also been provided with knee-high black suede boots.  Rhain sighed as he dressed himself slowly.  He knew he would not have a chance to change before his meeting in the forest and he wished that he could wear clothing that was subtler and that would allow him more mobility.  It would not be easy to move around in the forest in such clothing and he would have to take a great deal of care to be certain that it did not get damaged lest someone realize where he had passed his evening.  More importantly, he wished that he could wear something less opulent because he knew his dress would only strengthen the wall that lay between him and Keelin.  The richness of his dress would be in stark contrast to her simple dress, making even plainer the great difference in their social status.

            When he had finally finished dressing, Rhain took a deep breath in preparation for the day he was about to face.  Then he opened his door and went down to the great hall.

            The day seemed to last forever.  Fortunately for Rhain, the king had ordered a play to be staged for the amusement of his guests, saving Rhain from having to converse much with Princess Concetta.  Still, he was forced to sit next to her, allowing her to frequently bump various parts of her body against his.  By dinner, it was all he could do to keep from shoving her aside in disgust.

            It was a relief when they were seated for dinner because, although Princess Concetta was seated on his right, Edwyn was seated on his left, giving Rhain a chance to engage in a deep conversation with his friend and allowing him to all but ignore the princess.  Just before the meal was laid out, his father stood up and everyone quickly fell silent.

            "It has been my great pleasure to entertain our dear friends from Italy," the king began.  "The bond between England and Italy has been much strengthened by this visit, promising a prosperous and peaceful future for our two countries.  'Tis my hope that this bond of friendship will last a lifetime and that we will soon find our two kingdoms inextricably linked."  With these words, the king turned and looked at his son and the Italian princess.  His message was clear.  He had all but announced an engagement between his son and Concetta.  

Rhain felt his face go red as the blood roared through his head, causing a great pounding at his temples.  He had never been so angry with his father in all his life.  The king continued talking, but Rhain did not hear a word his father said, so loud was the roaring in his head.  At long last, his father finished his pretty little speech and everyone raised their goblets in a toast.  The prince lifted his goblet automatically, his body responding without thought while his mind was lost in the turmoil of his fury.  Everyone drank and it was all Rhain could do to keep himself from choking on his wine.

The minstrels began to play their lutes and sing ballads extolling the virtues of the Italian royal family and of Italy in general.  One minstrel had even prepared a very elaborate ballad dedicated to the beauty of Princess Concetta.  She was at her preening best during the song.  Rhain was barely able to choke down his food.  He saw Edwyn studying him with some concern, but the vain princess was too engrossed in the ballad to notice his silence.

As dinner continued, the princess did begin to notice that something was wrong with the prince.  He spoke barely a word to anyone, hardly touched a thing on his plate, and drank only a half of a goblet of wine.  She tried to coax him into conversation, but he had lost all interest in social niceties.  When the meal was finally finished, he stood and announced that he had a headache, asked leave of the princess, and walked out of the hall before she had a chance to reply.

The prince fled the castle, running to the forest both to conceal himself within it so as to escape the notice of the palace guard, and also because he was running from his troubles as quickly as he was able.  When he was within the green breast of the forest, he stopped in his tracks, finding that he was sweating and breathing heavily.  He leaned against a tree and took a moment to allow his racing heart to slow and his breathing to return to a normal rate.  Even in his greatest moment of desperation, he found that the forest was able to quickly embrace and soothe him, easing his worries.

Suddenly aware that precious time was passing, Rhain pushed off from the tree and began to walk toward the spot where he was to meet Keelin.  His anticipation grew with each step, causing his heart to race even more swiftly than it had when he fled to the forest.  He walked as quietly and stealthily as possible, hoping with all his heart that she was already waiting for him.  He desperately wanted to see her and gaze at her for a while before she was aware of his presence. 

Rhain got his wish.  As he came upon their meeting place, he saw that Keelin had already arrived.  She was kneeling on the forest floor, a hare just inches from her.  He could see that she was speaking softly to the animal, wanting to soothe it so that she could reach out and touch it.  She was concentrating so hard on the task that it gave the prince time to study her.

She was wearing the same peasant outfit she had been wearing the last time they had met in the forest.  He studied the firm curve of her bosom in its tightly laced bodice.  His eyes followed the curve of her waist, down the gentle swell of her hip, and down to her legs.  Her delicate ankles peeked out from the hem of her skirts and he saw that she wore simple, rough shoes on her feet.  He turned his attention to her face, intently studying her profile.  He admired the clear, pale expanse of her brow, the gentle curve of her eyebrows, the large, luminous brown eyes that were shaded by long lashes.  There was a becoming hollow under her beautifully structured cheekbone, just above the healthy, rosy blush of her cheek.  He admired her long, straight nose and the lush fullness of her lips.  The curve of her chin was gentle, but firm.  Her face was very open and bore the bloom of youth and good health.  Her beauty took his breath away, just as it had so many times before.  Lastly, he admired the luxurious, gilded curls that tumbled down her back.  Her hair glowed like fine gold in the late afternoon sun.  He was very glad that she had worn it down as she had, with only the sides pulled back from her face and tied with a leather thong.  Her hair was so beautiful that he felt it was almost a crime for it to be hidden away under caps.  If it were up to him, she would always leave her curls to tumble wild and free about her, as they did now.

Keelin's attempts to stroke the hare were unsuccessful.  Just as she stretched her hand out toward the creature, the hare bounded off through the woods.  Keelin sighed and turned her head, her eyes meeting those of the prince.  He smiled nervously at her, feeling his heart leap in his chest.  She quickly averted her eyes from his and rose hastily from the forest floor so that she could bow to him.

"Good evening, Your Highness," she said, her voice low and musical, nearly blending with the harmonious sounds of the forest.

"Good evening, Keelin," he said, afraid that she would notice the reverent way in which he spoke her name.  He was finding it harder and harder to conceal his feelings for her.  "I prithee, do not bow before me.  Do we not meet here as friends?"

"Aye, Your Highness but I must always bow to you as a sign of my respect and awe."

Rhain was uncomfortable with these words.  He wished her to be as easy with him as Edwyn was, wished for her to call him by his Christian name, just as his friend the knight did.

"Then I shall express my admiration for you with a bow," he said to her, gracing her with his best courtly bow.  He did not miss the look of astonishment on her face.

"Does Your Highness require more information from me?" she asked.

"Information?" he asked, puzzled.

"Aye.  Information about my former master?"

Rhain realized with sudden clarity that she thought it was his reason for meeting her in this way.  "Nay.  I merely wish to speak with you as friends, as we did that night in my chamber."  He felt as if his heart were in his hands, exposed for her to either destroy or cherish as she chose.  He would not be able to bear it if she rejected his friendship.

"Oh," was her only reply.

"Do you not wish to speak with me?" he asked, unable to keep the anxiety from creeping into his voice.

"Nay, I mean aye.  I mean of course I wish to speak with Your Highness.  'Tis always an honor to speak with Your Highness," she said, clearly flustered.

"As 'tis my honor to speak with you," he said.  "'Tis also my pleasure," he added, his voice very low.

Her eyes caught his once again and he noticed the surprise in them.  "Your Highness is very kind, but I cannot believe that you could find pleasure in my company.  I wish only to be useful to Your Highness."

Rhain shifted his posture uncomfortably.  This was not going as well as he would have wished it.  Gone was the comfortable and pleasant sense of intimacy that he had shared with her in his chamber.  They were now awkward with one another and Rhain was unsure of what to do to dispel that awkwardness.

The prince stepped a little closer to Keelin and reached out a hand to seize a leafy branch just to the right of her head, causing her to start.

"The forest is so beautiful at this time of day," he said, softly, afraid to break the delicate peace of the moment.  
            "Aye," Keelin said, her voice also soft.  "'Tis so tranquil.  I adore the forest."  

A hawk soared overhead, letting out a keening sound.  Keelin tilted her head back to watch it and Rhain studied the delicate arch of her throat.  He swallowed past the lump in his throat.

"I have never met anyone who loves the forest as much as I," he said to her, unable to take his eyes off her, even for the hawk.

She lowered her eyes down to her hands, which were clasped demurely at her waist.  "I do not believe that there are many who can appreciate its beauties or the tranquility of its embrace," she said.

"Aye, that is it exactly," he replied.  He was very close to her and it made him feel slightly dizzy.  It was almost as if she was exerting a force upon him, making it nearly impossible for him to resist the urge to lean closer and to establish some sort of physical contact with her.

She broke the spell suddenly by moving away from him and seating herself upon a fallen log.  She fiddled with her skirts for a moment and then looked towards him out of the corner of her eye.

"What is it that brings Your Highness here?" she asked, startling him with the directness of her question.

"The pleasure of your company," he answered, honestly.  He moved slightly closer to her, leaning his back against a tree and folding his arms loosely across his chest.  "I feel I can be myself when I am with you.  I find our conversations fascinating."

Keelin turned her gaze fully on him, regarding him with her big, questioning brown eyes.  "'Tis all so strange to me," she said.  "May I speak candidly to Your Highness?"

"Please do," he said, feeling both a sense of relief and a sense of curiosity.

She looked down at her hands as she twisted them nervously in her lap.  "'Tis all so strange, almost as if 'tis all a dream.  Your Highness saved my life and I felt the greatest of gratitude.  Then you began to question me about my master and began to influence the course of events in my life and I began to feel resentment for you.  Chance threw us much together and now I find that I have grown to like Your Highness very much and to feel very fortunate for your friendship.  Still, I feel unsure of what this all means.  I have enjoyed this time, but am certain that it cannot continue much longer."

Rhain was shocked but gratified by her honest speech.  He realized that she felt conflicted about their relationship, just as he did, although he still had no idea if her feelings for him were as deep as his feelings for her.  He was at a loss as to how to answer her for he did not know himself what it all meant and he too felt certain that their relationship could not continue on its present course much longer.  That frightened him more than anything else.

"I admit to feeling some confusion myself," Rhain began, slowly.  "I never meant to use or hurt you, but I found myself doing exactly those things.  Yet as I spent time with you, I began to see what an extraordinary person you are.  The more I learned about you, the more I wanted to know.  I do not know what it all means or where it will all lead.  All I am certain of is the unfairness of it all.  'Tis unjust that our friendship must be kept secret, that I cannot converse as freely and openly with you as I do with my friend Sir Edwyn."

"That is the way of the world, whether anyone likes it or nay," Keelin said, simply.  Her eyes met his as she spoke.

"'Tis not the way I wish the world to be and, as a prince, am I not the one to change it?"

"Perhaps some things cannot be changed," Keelin replied, her eyes downcast.

Rhain pushed away from the tree impatiently, feelings a growing sense of frustration.  "Nay, I cannot believe it to be so," he insisted.  He began to pace in front of the tree.  "There is no peace for me in such beliefs else why would you have become a part of my life?  You have shown me that there is another way and I believe in the free will of man, in the power of man to change things and make them better."

"Is man not also capable of making things worse?"

"Aye, of course.  I dare say you think that perhaps man is merely capable of making things worse and not better.  Why should you think otherwise?  Everything that you knew of goodness was taken from you at an early age, forcing you to grow up in the midst of great evil.  Yet there is good in the world and I no longer desire to follow the prescribed path but to effect change."

"'Tis perhaps best to quell such desires," Keelin said quietly.

"Can you really think that?" Rhain cried, stopping his pacing for a moment to look at her.  "If so, then I must march back to the castle and agree to marry the Italian princess, just as my father wishes for me to do."

"Servants often think that those of great wealth and privilege are free to make their own decisions in life, but I have come to understand that they are often as bound to follow a prescribed path in life as we are.  Understand that I do not mean to complain of my condition for I am quite happy with my life, but just as 'tis my duty to be a servant and to serve my king, so 'tis Your Highness's duty to serve Your Highness's kingdom."

"You think I should marry her then?" Rhain asked.  He stopped dead in his tracks and stared directly at Keelin until she raised her gaze to his.

"'Tis not for me to say," she answered.

"Nay.  Nor is it for my father to say.  'Tis only for me to say and I say that there is nothing in the world that could compel me to do so.  The princess is the worst example of a woman that I have ever met.  She lacks all qualities that make a woman pleasing to a man.  She may have beauty, but her lack of virtue is proportionate to that beauty.  I find no pleasure in her conversation and her company is irksome to me.  Tell me, how can I make such a woman my wife?"

"Do not look to me for answers for I am not worthy of offering them to Your Highness.  I am merely a humble servant.  Your Highness must do as your sense of duty and your conscience compel you to do and I must do as my sense of duty and conscience compel me."

They were silent for a moment.  Rhain felt a great deal of agony at her words.  The distance between them was so great that it was nearly uncrossable, yet Rhain could not choose the path that lay before him, leading him to marriage with an Italian princess and the long-wished for acquisition of his father's approval.  He knew that it would only lead to a lifetime of misery for him.  Keelin said that he had to follow his conscience and his sense of duty and every fiber in his being led him to her.  His sense of duty was becoming increasingly centered on her and his conscience could not censure him, but he could not possibly tell her that.

He finally knew what to say to her.  "'Tis my conscience and my sense of duty that compel me to make changes, changes that I hope will benefit every man, woman, and child of my realm.  As you say, I must follow my duty and my conscience and not tradition."

Keelin smiled warmly at him.  "That is what I hoped Your Highness would say," she replied.

            The prince smiled at her, his heart suddenly the lightest it had been all day.


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Keelin could not believe how very intimate her relationship with the prince was becoming.  The signs of the vast chasm between them were unmistakable, yet their developing relationship was in defiance of all that was logical.  In fact, it seemed that the more adversity their relationship faced, the more determined was its will to survive, its will to grow and thrive in the face of that adversity.

            When the hare had bounded away from her and she had looked up to see the prince standing a short distance from her, Keelin had felt the same mixture of nervousness, awe, and anticipation that she felt each and every time she saw him.  She had also become, as always, painfully aware of the differences in their circumstances.  Her clothes were not rags by any means but they were the unmistakable garb of a woman of the servant class.  The colors were vibrant but the fabrics were simple and of little cost.  It was the same type of clothing that all of the other sewing women wore.

            The prince, on the other hand, could not have been much more expensively dressed, covered head to toe in velvets as he was.  The ermine trim of his cape and tunic alone bespoke of his great wealth and stature.  Only the richest in the land could afford such expensive and luxurious fur and it was not often worn by any other than royalty and the highest members of the peerage.  Even Keelin's former masters and mistress had never owned any garments edged in ermine.  Most impressive of all, however, was the heavy gold chain and medallion that the prince wore.  The chain itself was made of sectional sheets of gold that were as wide as three of her fingers put together.  The gold was elaborately wrought and the medallion was the royal seal and coat of arms.

            Keelin had felt horribly nervous and awkward at first, with the same disconcerting urge to flee the prince's presence.  The sight of him was almost holy to her, almost as if she had accidentally laid eyes on an otherworldly being that she was not meant to see, that she was most certainly not worthy of seeing.  Still, as they began to speak with one another and when he announced his intentions to make positive changes in the kingdom, she felt herself almost as at ease with him as she was with Alinda.  That ease was more alarming than the discomfort.

            Her admiration for the prince was growing exponentially by the moment, but it was not merely the admiration that was inspired by a person of great rank, but the kind of admiration that was inspired by a friend.  Along with that admiration came an extreme fondness for the company of the prince and a fascination with his conversation.  To pass time with him was the sweetest pleasure she knew.  And so her love for him grew and grew, its boundlessness shocking and alarming to her, making her feel as if she would burst if it continued to grow.

            After he announced his intentions to implement change and she had expressed her approval of this announcement, he began to confide in her about his ordeals with the Italian princess and his problems with his father.

            "I have already told you that I have struggled to be kind to her because my father desires a treaty with Italy, but I do not believe I told you before today that he wishes me to marry her.  That he could even think that I could entertain the notion of marrying that woman is a source of pain to me."

            By this time, they were strolling companionably through the forest in the gathering dusk.  As the sun's rays grew more and more tenuous, Keelin felt an increasing sense that precious time was slipping through her fingers.  She fervently wished that she had the power to reach out and fix the sun in place so that she might walk and talk with the prince forever.

            "I think that, perhaps, His Majesty does not understand Your Highness," she said.

            "Your thoughts are correct.  He does not understand me at all.  If he did, he would send that horrible woman away and we would laugh about her together."

            "Can Her Highness be so completely without merit?"

            "I am certain that you are far too kind-hearted to think evil of anyone but I am certain that if you knew her as I do you would think the same of her as I do.  She is shameless.  She does not know the meaning of chastity or virtue.  Her conversation is insipid and completely without thought or interest.  Her speech is designed only for flattery and shallow conversation.  She compliments me excessively in the hopes of flattering my vanity so that I might concede to a marriage with her and make her rich.  Her own vanity exceeds every other thing.  If you could have seen how she behaved tonight when the minstrel sang his ballad to her!  I am certain that you must think it impossible for any woman to behave as she did!"

            "There is very little in this world that I think impossible," Keelin said, with a smile.  "However, as Your Highness describes Her Highness, it does seem as though she is a most extraordinary person."

            "I dare say that you mean that she is an infamous person, but you are, as always, far too respectful and conscious of your position to say any such thing," Rhain replied, smiling back at her.

            Keelin merely inclined her head in response, trying to suppress her mirth.  The prince caught her look and burst out laughing, causing her to do the same.  They paused for a moment, turning to face one another.

            "How I wish I had you always with me," the prince said, his laughter ceasing and his smile cooling somewhat, but still remaining on the corners of his lips.  "Then you could help me laugh at the princess as you did just now.  I believe I should handle her so much better were I to have you by my side to help me see the humor of my situation."

            "I would do no such thing," Keelin replied, her smile remaining intact.  "I would not ever help Your Highness to make a joke of Her Highness while in her presence."

            "Ah, but you would do so in the forest," Rhain replied, his smile growing a little broader.

            "I have done no such thing," Keelin protested.  "I merely said that Her Highness must be extraordinary.  Your Highness inferred what you wished from that statement."

            "You know very well what you have done," Rhain replied, smiling warmly at her.  His smile faded after a moment.  "I believe I have a very difficult life," he said, his face growing somewhat stormy.

            Keelin made no reply and the prince looked in her direction, his face changing quickly to something of a stricken expression.

            "I do not mean to say that my life is more difficult than yours.  On the contrary, I believe your life has been much more difficult and you have been through an unimaginable ordeal…"

            His voice trailed off as she shook her head at him.  "I know Your Highness did not mean to imply that my life is easy.  We all of us have our difficulties in life."

            The prince dropped himself down upon a tree stump, resting his arm on a knee in a posture of dejection.  "'Tis tragic that you lost your parents when you were so young, but you were fortunate to have been so well loved.  My mother loves me and I suppose my father might, in his own way, but he has always used me as a pawn."  The prince stopped for a moment and glanced at her with an embarrassed and pained expression.  "I suppose that is why I used you as a pawn.  I learned it from my father, who has perfected the art.  I have no doubt that you have heard terrible things about our relationship.  My father and I often come to blows and it never fails to escape the notice of anyone in the kingdom.  Still, in all my life he has never tried to use me in such a manner, to make me a pawn to his ambitions of controlling more of the world.  I cannot describe the pain it causes me to think that he is willing to marry me to any random woman merely to obtain a treaty that he desires."  

            The pain on the prince's face was unmistakable and it greatly touched Keelin.  This was the most moving moment she had ever shared with the prince.  She could not believe that he trusted her enough to bare his soul to her as he just had.  She knelt before him and looked up into his eyes.

            "I am certain that His Majesty does not know of the pain Your Highness feels.  His Majesty is merely doing what so many have done before, what his own father may very well have done.  Still, Your Highness's pain is most acute and I would not ever wish to try to make it seem to be less than it is.  You may be the prince of England, but that does not make your pain any less than mine.  I am heartily sorry for it.  I say to Your Highness with the utmost honesty that I wish I could do something to lessen your pain.  All I can offer is my friendship and the promise that I shall always be available to listen to and comfort Your Highness as best I may."

            The prince's eyes met hers and she was stunned by the emotion in them.  He reached a hand out and briefly caressed her cheek, causing all of the breath in her body to rush out of her in an instant.  Her body felt like it was on fire.  She froze in her spot, afraid he might touch her again and yet afraid that he might never touch her again.  A part of her wanted to flee and another part wanted to throw herself in his arms.

            "Fair Keelin, what blessing has brought you into my life?  What a comfort you are to me.  What an angel," he breathed.

            Keelin was suddenly terrified that the prince would kiss her, propelling her into action.  She hastily stood and put as much distance between them as she could without seeming to recoil from his presence.  Her face burned and her heart beat so rapidly that it made her dizzy.  For a terrifying moment she thought she would faint. 

            "It-it grows late, Your Highness," she said.  "I fear His Majesty will think some misfortune has befallen you.  I do not wish to detain Your Highness any longer."

            Out of all the expressions that could have been on the prince's face, Keelin would never have guessed that it would bear the one it did.  His sorrow was almost palpable to her and she found herself more confused and frightened than ever.

            "Aye, I must return before my father seeks me," the prince said.  He attempted to put a smile on his face, but it did not reach his eyes.  

            Keelin also attempted a smile, but she felt her lips tremble and knew that the smile wavered.  "I thank Your Highness," she said, her voice low.  "I cannot express to you how much I have enjoyed this night.  It has been my pleasure and my honor to speak with Your Highness as I have tonight."

            "Nay, I thank you," he replied.  "I fear that you cannot understand the meaning of this night," he said, enigmatically.  

            She wanted to ask him what he meant by his last statement, but he had turned and was gone almost as soon as he had spoken it.  Keelin stood alone in the forest for a long while, more perplexed than she had ever been before.

*****

            Rhain's face burned as he rushed through the forest back to the castle.  He could not believe what had happened between him and Keelin.  Still, as small of a gesture as it was, he knew that much more would have happened had she not moved away from him.  In fact, he was almost certain that she had been able to sense this as well and that she had moved to safety.

            Still, what could he think about what had happened?  They had been enjoying such an intimate conversation and she had clearly wanted to comfort and support him.  He knew he had not mistaken that.  She had made her concern for him very clear.  She had spoken to him so sweetly and had looked into his eyes with such an angelic expression that his love for her had grown immensely in just that one small moment in time.  He had never loved her more than he did at that moment.  He had always managed to keep his tender feelings for her under control, but he had simply not been able to control them at that moment.  His heart had been so full that he had reacted almost involuntarily by reaching out and caressing her cheek.  At first she had not moved, had not even breathed, but it only took a moment for the spell to break and then she had moved away.  Had she moved away because she was afraid that he might touch her again and she did not wish to be touched by him or had she moved away because she wished to be touched by him and was frightened by that wish?  Rhain knew enough of her personality to know that if she did love him as he loved her, her sense of propriety would lead her to do all that she could to conquer her feelings.  He did not know enough of her heart to know if it was a sense of propriety or merely a disinterest in him that had caused her to move away.

            Rhain thought back on the sweet agony of the time he had passed with Keelin in the forest.  He had never felt closer to her than he had on this night.  It had seemed that their minds were in perfect harmony.  Once they had moved past the awkwardness of their meeting, everything had been easy and beautiful, so beautiful that it almost felt as if it had all been a dream.  They had conversed easily and freely, holding nothing back.  At least Rhain knew he had held nothing back from her.  He had shared feelings with her that he had never shared with any other person, not even Edwyn.  He trusted her so implicitly that he had allowed her a glimpse into his soul, something he had never dreamed he would do with anyone.  He had never been so vulnerable in all his life, not even when he had been lying horribly wounded on the battlefield.  One word from her could have utterly destroyed him, yet she had treated his confidence in her with exquisite respect and understanding.  She was his soul mate.  Of that, he was certain.

            The prince's mind kept returning to that short, far too short, moment of time in which he had finally touched his beloved's cheek.  He knew that it was a feeling that he could never forget, even if he spent the rest of his life trying.  He had often dreamed of caressing her cheek as he had this night, but his fantasies had been nothing when compared to the reality of touching that cheek.  It was silken beneath his fingertips, like the blushing petals of a rose in full bloom.  At the very instant of contact, Rhain had felt a shock run through him that was indescribable.  It felt almost as if he had been struck by lightning.  The jolt had run from his fingertips up his hand and throughout his entire body.  He could never have dreamed that the mere brushing of his fingertips upon her cheek could have provoked such intense emotions.  He honestly believed that time had frozen for that one instant when neither he nor Keelin had drawn a breath.  The light touch of his fingertips on her cheek had been so wonderful that he was certain he would have taken her into his arms and kissed her had she not moved away from him.

            Such thoughts had barely finished running through his mind when the castle was upon him.  As he hurried up to it, the shadow of an immense figure caused him to freeze in his tracks.  The figure emerged slowly from the shadows, coming forward to meet the prince.

            "Where have you been?" Edwyn asked.  There was a strange tone to his voice that made the prince feel apprehensive.

            "I have been walking in the forest.  You know I always go there when I need to escape for a few hours."

            "His Majesty is furious.  He has been searching for you ever since you left the table."

            "You did not tell him that I was in the forest, did you?" Rhain asked frantically.  He felt a sudden surge of panic at the thought.  What if one of his father's men had happened upon the scene between the prince and the servant and was reporting it to the king at this moment?

            "Of course I did not," Edwyn said, his voice sounding hurt.  "I would never betray your confidence in such a manner."

            "Of course you would not," Rhain answered, relief evident in his voice.  "Forgive me, Edwyn.  I did not mean to accuse you of any wrong-doing."

            "You were not alone in the forest then," Edwyn stated flatly, not even bothering to try to question his friend.

            Rhain was unsure how to respond.  As he looked into the face of his oldest friend, he could see a trace of hurt in his friend's eyes and could sense the feeling of betrayal that lay under Edwyn's calm demeanor.  The prince knew at that moment that he could no longer lie to his friend.  He could only tell the truth and hope that his friend would understand, hope that his friend would support him.  Still, as much as he would hate to lose his friendship with Edwyn and as painful as the loss would be to him, Rhain knew that it was nothing compared to how he would feel if he were to lose Keelin.  He would sacrifice his friendship with Edwyn, his throne, and even his life for Keelin if it were necessary.  He would do whatever was in his power to see her safe and happy and to try to win her love, no matter what the expense to him.

            "Nay, I was not alone," Rhain answered.

            Edwyn studied him silently for a moment, seemingly weighing his words before he spoke.  "You were with the servant."

            "I was with Keelin," Rhain replied, placing deliberate emphasis on her name.

            Edwyn shook his head as if he did not believe the answer, although he must have known it to be true, even before he asked the question.  His eyes were wide with alarm.  "Rhain, I thought you and I talked about her.  I thought we agreed that it was best for you to never see her again."

            "I love her," Rhain said, his voice strangled with agony.

            Edwyn gasped in shock and visibly recoiled.  "Nay, it cannot be.  'Tis merely that you enjoy her company.  She is a beautiful woman and it would be easy to believe…"

            "Nay, 'tis more than that and you know it.  You have known it for some time now.  You know that I was with her the night of the ball.  You saw her fleeing.  I bore Concetta for as long as I could and then I sought the woman to whom I truly wished to offer my attentions and my love.  I asked her then to meet me in the forest tonight.  This was not the only time I saw her alone.  I saw her many times before.  I went out onto the battlements one night and saw her by chance.  I found her in the chapel another night and brought her to my chamber to tell her that I could no longer see her, but once I was with her I could not bear to part from her.  I talked with her late into the night about her childhood.  Every moment I have spent with her has left me longing for the next.  I cannot conquer these feelings.  They are stronger than I am.  What is more, I would not attempt to conquer them, even if I were able to do so."

            "How could this have happened?" Edwyn asked, running his hand through his hair roughly.  Suddenly, understanding dawned in his eyes.  "She has thrown herself at you," he said, excitedly.  "She has thrown herself at you and made you believe yourself to be in love with her.  She aspires to be queen and wants nothing more than to have you marry her so that she may live a life of leisure and luxury.  It does not matter to her if it destroys you.  She seeks only to fulfill her own ambitions."

            Suddenly, Rhain's face was only inches from his friend's.  His face was contorted with rage, rage directed against his friend, the man for whom he had always felt nothing less than gratitude, respect, and friendship.  "I defy you to speak of her in that manner again.  You shall taste the cold steel of my sword if you ever dare do so again.  I shall seek vengeance against any man who questions her honor.  Any man!" Rhain shouted the last two words.

            The startled knight pulled away from the prince, holding his hands with the palms facing out in supplication.  Rhain had never seen such astonishment and hurt on his friend's face before, but it did not matter.  The prince stood tensed for combat.

            "Rhain."  It was all Edwyn could manage to say.

            "You do not know her as I do.  She has done nothing to promote my affections, nothing.  She does not even know of them.  I have spent a great deal of my time with her trying to keep her from fleeing from me.  She is every moment conscious of her position, every moment conscious of the danger of our meeting with one another.  She has done nothing!  My love for her exists because of who she is, not what she has done.  I have not even dared speak of my love to her because I fear that she will run away and that I will never find her again.  Make no mistake, she has no ambitions of becoming queen and she has no thought of my money.  She would sooner think herself suited to count herself among the stars in the heavens than she would to count herself among the royal family."

            The gentle giant's face crumpled and it looked as if he might cry.  "I meant no disrespect," he said, his voice pleading.  "I did not realize that you loved her so deeply.  I pray you Rhain, believe me when I say that I would never question the honor of the woman you love.  I am your friend and, as such, I simply do not want to see any misfortune befall you.  I love you as I would a brother and I only wish to see you happy.  I do not know what your intentions are with regard to Keelin but I do know that I do not wish to see you disowned by your father and banished from the kingdom that is rightfully yours.  Can you not see that my only concern is for your well-being?"

            The tension in Rhain's body relaxed, inch by inch.  The rage on his face slowly melted away, replaced by a look of anguish.

            "Can you not understand, Edwyn, if you love me as you say you do?  Can you not understand that I have found happiness at last with this woman?  Can you not understand that I would willingly leave my kingdom and reject my throne if it meant that I could find some joy in my life?  You know what my relationship with my father has always been.  Can you wonder that I would gladly choose the love of this woman over the love of my father, this woman who asks nothing of me and offers me her friendship freely rather than my father, who always takes from me without offering anything in return?  If you wish to find the one who uses me, who seeks nothing more than to take everything from me that can possibly be gained, look no further than His Majesty the king."

            A look of matching anguish came over Edwyn's face.  "'Tis true," he said.  "What you say, 'tis true.  The king has used you from the moment you were born and has only offered you his love when you have done exactly what 'tis he wishes you to do.  If this woman truly does offer you friendship without asking anything in return, then I shall revere her as an angel.  I can understand your feelings.  Many would think you a fool if you chose to walk away from the throne, but not I.  I know that wealth and power mean nothing to you and I admire your courage and your sense of honor."

            Rhain was more touched by this gesture of friendship on Edwyn's part than any other the knight had ever offered.  He moved forward and embraced his friend, the two of them slapping each other heartily on the back.

            "You will stand by me then?" Rhain asked.

            "In the midst of the fires of hell, if that is where I must follow you," Edwyn said, sincerely.

            "That means more to me than I could ever tell you.  I am so indebted to you that nothing I could ever do would repay that debt.  I owe you not only my life, but my gratitude."

            "Then understand that not every being in the world is like your father.  Like Keelin, I offer my friendship and ask for nothing in return."

            "You and she are the truest friends I have ever known.  You are both worth all the wealth in the world."

            "I hope that I may one day call Keelin a friend.  If you love her, she must be an extraordinary woman indeed."

            Rhain smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder.  "Do not start me on the subject or I shall talk for hours.  Come, we shall talk more later.  I must now face my father."

            Edwyn and Rhain turned and walked into the castle, moving toward the great hall.  They did not get more than a few steps when they ran into the king; the king's close friend, the Duke of Canterbury; and the king's foreign advisor.  Rhain could immediately see that his father was livid.

            "I will speak to you now," the king said to his son, his voice deadly calm.  

            "Alone, father?" Rhain asked.

            "Nay, we must meet with my advisors.  King Giovanni is much insulted by your conduct and is preparing to leave immediately.  We must see what we can do to repair the damage that your foolish conduct has caused."  The king's voice was tight with barely controlled rage.

            Rhain felt a flash of anger, but refused to confront his father in front of so many people.  "Very well then, Father."

            The king turned away from his son without another word and began walking through a corridor toward the chamber where he met with all of his advisors.  The Duke of Canterbury; Cairon, the foreign advisor; the prince; and the knight all followed.  They had not progressed far when they heard strange noises coming from one of the rarely used chambers.

            "What is that?" the duke asked.

            "Stand back, Your Majesty," Edwyn said.  "I shall discover the cause of this disturbance."

            The king and his men fell back as Edwyn approached the door, followed closely by Rhain.  Edwyn drew his sword and then pushed the door open slowly.  The strange sounds magnified and it was not long before the men discovered their source.  The animal grunts and moans were being issued from Princess Concetta, who was in the midst of a very intimate—and very nude—embrace with the minstrel who had sung her praises at dinner earlier.  

            "What is the meaning of this?" the king bellowed.

            It was all that Rhain and Edwyn could do to keep from bursting into laughter.  The prince felt an exquisite sense of relief, knowing that there was now no way his father could force him into marriage with a woman of such infamous conduct.  It fairly made his heart sing.  He could hear the Duke of Canterbury's snort of laughter and the foreign advisor's gasp of horror.

            The princess and the minstrel jumped away from one another, each attempting to cover themselves as best they could.  The minstrel turned a deathly shade of pale, probably envisioning himself hanging from the gallows, a fate he might very likely suffer once the king was through with him.  As for the princess, she burst into tears and began to sob about how the minstrel had taken advantage of her, causing the man to turn even paler.

            The temptation to burst into laughter died when Rhain and Edwyn heard the fury in the king's voice.  "Woman, get yourself to your father immediately!  I shall tell him of your conduct and he shall decide your punishment.  Guards!" the king shouted, two men appearing mere seconds after his summons.  "Throw that man in the dungeon.  He shall be hanged in the morning."

            The pronouncement made Rhain feel queasy and, glancing at Edwyn, he could tell that his friend felt the same way.  The poor minstrel threw himself in front of the king and began to sob, pleading for mercy.  The king simply turned away in disgust, the other four men following reluctantly behind.  Rhain walked as slowly as he could and Edwyn, catching his friend's unspoken hint, also lagged behind.

            "We must set that man free," Rhain hissed out of the side of his mouth.  "He should be punished for making the beast with two backs with a princess, but he does not deserve to die because of that Italian whore."

            "Aye," Edwyn agreed, nodding.  "I shall see that 'tis done.  You must not be involved lest your father discover that you helped set the minstrel free."

            Rhain was not entirely happy with the situation, but he saw the sense in his friend's statement.  He gave his friend a stiff, quick nod and then the two men hurried to catch up with the king.

            "Well, my son," the king said, his tone deceptively conversational.  "It would seem that you are saved and it would seem that the only thing that saves you from your own imprudence is the even greater imprudence of the Italian princess.  I should think you might want to thank your lucky stars that 'tis now apparent that she is a loose, foolish woman.  You may go, but I shall wish to speak with you on the morrow."  There was something ominous about the last sentence and Rhain knew that he was not out of danger yet with regard to his father's anger.

            "Aye, Father," Rhain replied.  He nodded at the Duke and the advisor and then turned away from them, Edwyn following once he had bowed to the other three men.

            "Such luck, 'tis almost unnatural," Edwyn said quietly, not wanting the king to overhear him.  He shook his head in disbelief.

            Rhain's grin spread across his entire face.  "I must confess that, since the first time I met her, I have never liked Princess Concetta nearly as well as I do now."

            Edwyn could not help but laugh at his friend's statement, but he quickly sobered.  "Are you going to tell your father about Keelin?"

            "I shall, but not for some time yet.  I shall need to think of a strategy.  I hope that I might prevail upon you to be of some aide to me," Rhain said, turning a gaze of appeal on his friend.

            The knight sighed but smiled as he did so.  "You shall be the death of me, Rhain," he said wearily, "but I am willing to be of aide."

            "And so my debt continues to grow.  Come, we have much work to do," Rhain said, hurrying toward his chamber, Edwyn in tow.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N:** I always tell myself that I'm not going to post as frequently and then all the positive feedback spurs me on.  Thanks to all of you who have written feedback.  I truly appreciate it and I use what you say to help improve my writing. 

**Ghoti:** I think you have a really good point.  I won't say much because I don't want to give anything away but there's more coming in future chapters.  However, I wanted you to know that I found this feedback very valuable and it helped me to more clearly see how some things should progress.

**naughty little munchkin:** Thanks for being such a faithful and enthusiastic reader!  I look forward to reading more from you as well!

*****

**Chapter 16**

            Keelin rose sleepily the next morning, scrubbing at her eyes with her fists in the hopes that it would help clarify her vision.  It was all to no avail.  Her vision was blurry thanks to fatigue caused by a night of restless sleep filled with incessant dreams about the prince.  She had to admit to herself that her relationship with him was growing into a bigger and bigger problem with each moment that she passed in his company.  She would soon have to make a decision as to what she intended to do about that relationship.  It was not one that she was eager to make.

            Rising from her pallet, Keelin yawned so enthusiastically that it felt like her mouth would split at the corners.  She rubbed her hand over her head, feeling the mess that her braid had become after a night of tossing and turning.  She yawned again and rubbed at her eyes once more.

            "Do you ever sleep anymore?" a concerned voice asked.  Keelin recognized it as that of Alinda.

            "Rarely," she offered by way of response, not feeling up to involving herself in a conversation, even with her dear friend.  Her mind was too foggy for much deep thought.  In fact, she found that it required all of her concentration simply to remember how to get herself ready for the day.

            Shuffling over to the washbasin, Keelin splashed her face liberally, gasping at the coldness of the water.  In spite of her discomfort, she found that the cold water did help to clear her mind and to rouse her a little more.  She splashed it over her face a few more times before washing her face and bathing her wrists in it.  It was not quite as good as a full night's sound sleep, but it did help her to feel somewhat refreshed.

            As Alinda washed, Keelin undid the braid in her hair and combed through her tangled tresses, finding that the painful unknotting of her hair also helped to rouse her.  This realization nearly made her groan.  If she could not get a good night's sleep soon, she would be forced to inflict pain upon herself in a constant manner in order to remain in a state of wakefulness.  

            Once her hair was tied back, Keelin shimmied out of her night shift and replaced it with her servant's garb.  Lastly, she settled her white cap over the knot of hair that rested on the back of her head.

            "Let us only hope that there will be no surprise balls announced today," Keelin said dryly as she stretched, working the kinks out of her body.

            Alinda smiled warmly at her.  "Let us hope," she echoed.  "Still, one can never tell.  Royalty is always so unpredictable that it seems they do things on the merest of whims."

            She had hardly spoken the words when a woman rushed into the chamber and bolted straight for Sarah, speaking in excited, but hushed, tones with the head seamstress.  Sarah gasped in surprise and looked around at the other women.

            "It would seem that I have spoken too soon," Keelin said, feeling her spirits sink at the prospect of non-stop work for another week.

            "You brought this upon us," Alinda accused, with a groan.

            "I can almost believe that I have," Keelin said, worried that she may have indeed.  Perhaps the king had decided to push his son in the princess's direction again because of the prince's frequent absenteeism.  Perhaps it was the time that he was spending with Keelin, unbeknownst to the king, that was the cause of this new ball.

            Keelin was to be quickly disabused of this notion, however, as Sarah turned to the other women as soon as the unknown servant woman left the chamber.  She indicated for them to move closer to her and they all flocked around her, like obedient children answering the summons of their mother.

            "Why, 'tis scandalous!" Sarah declared, her face marked with both disbelief and a sort of feral pleasure at the news she had just received.  She twisted her hands together impatiently, unable to resist passing on the news that she had just received.  "The Italians are to part almost this moment!  It would seem that the princess is accused of being unchaste and with a minstrel!"

            A collective gasp rose from the women and Keelin's hand flew to her throat.  This news was so strange that she thought it must surely be nothing more than a silly rumor that had originated somewhere else in the castle.  It was clear that the king of England intended his son to marry the Italian princess.  Surely she could not be leaving before their engagement had been announced?  To her horror, Keelin found herself feeling a sense of positive exultation at the thought of the exquisite Italian beauty parting from the castle.  Why should it matter to her if the princess went or stayed?  Keelin did not even want to acknowledge the insidious little voice that said it was because she had regarded the princess as competition for the affections of the prince.

            "Which minstrel?" one of the other sewing women cried out, her face contorted with fear, telling everyone in the chamber quite clearly that she fancied one of them.  Her face turned red as she realized that everyone was staring at her, but she continued to fix her gaze on Sarah.

            "Why, the minstrel who wrote the ballad in praise of the princess," Sarah said.

            The relief on the face of the other woman was plain and Keelin could see that several of the women seemed to file this information away for future reference.  For now, they had much to gossip about, what with the disgrace of the princess, but they would be wanting for gossip later.  The love affair between a fellow sewing women and one of the minstrels would do quite well.

            "What is to become of the minstrel?" Alinda asked.

            "That is also a scandal," Sarah said excitedly.  "His Majesty ordered that the man be hanged but it seems that the minstrel has disappeared from the dungeon."

            Sarah lost everyone's attention as the women began to turn to one another and chatter excitedly.  Surely this was the most titillating news that had been spread at the castle in quite some time.  Keelin even heard one of the women say that it was even more scandalous than the Earl of Essex news had been and Keelin blushed deeply when the other women looked over and realized that she had heard them.

            Alinda began to chatter excitedly at her friend, but Keelin's mind was a million miles away.  The moment Sarah had said that the minstrel had disappeared from the dungeon, it had become quite clear to Keelin what had happened.  She was positive that the prince had brought about the man's disappearance, unwilling for him to hang for his affair with the princess.  In fact, Keelin believed that the prince might even see the minstrel as being his deliverer.  After what he had said about the princess in the forest last night, there could be no doubt in Keelin's mind that he was relieved by this little scandal.

            Sarah called the women to attention again, her eyes gleaming.  They realized that she must have an object of particular interest and quickly grew quiet in anticipation of her revelation.  They found that it was well worth their trouble.

            "I have not even told you the most scandalous part!" she exclaimed.  "It seems that His Majesty, the king, stumbled upon the princess in the act."  She smiled in triumph as the women gasped and then delivered the final stunning piece of news.  "His Majesty was not alone.  He was accompanied by his foreign advisor, the Duke of Canterbury, Sir Edwyn of Netherfield, and His Highness, the prince!"

            The chatter of the women quickly reached fever pitch as they bandied this new information about.  

            "Can you believe it?" Alinda gasped, grasping her friend's arm a bit too tightly for comfort.  "I have never heard of such a scandal!"

            Keelin's mind, however, was not with her friend.  She was mulling over the list of people who had been with the king when he had found the princess.  The more she thought about it, the more Keelin was certain that all was not well with Prince Rhain.  She was certain that his father had been about to have a serious chat with his son, very likely one in which he would impress upon his son the need to marry Princess Concetta.  Now Keelin was more certain than ever that the prince was in a great deal of trouble and that it was all due to her.

            Sarah had indulged the women, but now she grew stern with them, calling impatiently for their attention.  "What are you all about?  Do you think that you can lie about all the day long and talk idly with one another?  There is work to be done.  Make haste to the sewing chamber now."

            Alinda made a sour face.  "The old crone," she murmured, so that only Keelin could hear her.  "You may be certain that she felt herself very important whilst she was delivering the news but now that she is no longer the center of attention, she shoos us off to work."

            "Come now, Alinda, you know 'tis our duty, after all," Keelin chided, smiling at her friend.

            "Well of course 'tis our duty.  I was merely saying that the crone acts as if she were doing all of the sewing single-handedly while we laze about when it was she who kept us from our work in the first place."

            "Aye, but believe me when I say that there are head servants in the castle that are far worse than Sarah.  If you knew what a tyrant the kitchen wench is, you would fall to your knees and kiss Sarah's feet in gratitude."

            Alinda made a horrible face at the thought.  "I would sooner kiss a pig's feet," she declared, making Keelin giggle.

            "I never knew you had such…interests," Keelin said, barely able to conceal her mirth.  "After all, the pigs do slog about in their own filth all the day long."

            Alinda stuck her tongue out at Keelin and then smiled at her friend.  "Enough of pigs and sewing crones, what think you of this news of the Italian princess?"

            Keelin knew that she would have to answer carefully so as not to appear to know more of the princess than she ought.  More importantly, she must not violate the confidence of the prince.  

            "I am all amazement," she said.  "'Tis beyond anything.  I cannot believe that a princess could conduct herself in such a manner."

            Alinda studied her very closely as she replied and Keelin felt uncomfortable.  Why was her friend regarding her in that manner?  She could not know anything about Keelin and the prince, could she?

            "'Tis most extraordinary," Alinda said.  "I should have thought she would at least be clever enough to carry on her affair where no one was likely to find her."

            Keelin gasped.  "Alinda, really!  She should not have been having an affair in the first place!  Is it not the duty of a princess to be the model of virtue for her people?"

            Her friend seemed to be startled by Keelin's exclamation.  She smiled quickly and answered, "Oh, of course.  I merely meant that she is not only unchaste, she is also very foolish."

            "Foolish indeed," Keelin echoed.  

            "After all, she was to be the bride of His Highness, the prince.  Why would any woman do anything to risk that honor?"

            "I hardly know," Keelin said, nonchalantly.  "Perhaps she did not love His Highness."

            "Love?  These royal folk never marry for love," Alinda said, laughing openly at her friend.  Keelin was stung.

            "How should you know what they do and do not do?" Keelin asked defensively.  "I should think that some of them do indeed marry for love."

            Alinda regarded her friend with an expression that was something akin to sympathy.  "Keelin, you have such innocent and pure thoughts.  'Tis obvious that you know nothing of royalty.  I have lived all my life in this castle and I have seen things that would shock you beyond your powers of belief.  All is not beauty and virtue within the castle's walls.  Such conduct as that of the Italian princess is hardly rare."

            Keelin felt a little angry with her friend.  It hurt her that Alinda was treating her as if she were a naïve and foolish child.  "I cannot claim to know what life in a castle is like; I am merely stating what I always believed to be the role of royalty.  I certainly understand that such behavior as that of the princess's exists in the world.  I was daily a witness to such behavior and behavior far worse than hers, at that.  'Tis only because that behavior was committed by a man that it was not brought to light as the disgrace of the princess was.  Believe me, Alinda, I am no fool when it comes to the realities of how those of higher birth conduct themselves."

            She picked up her pace so that she moved ahead of Alinda.  When she reached the sewing chamber, she seated herself and studied her work intently, refusing to look at her friend.  She did not understand Alinda's behavior.  Her friend had always been so kind and understanding.  There was a sharpness to her today that Keelin was not certain she liked.  It was as if her friend was intentionally trying to hurt her and Keelin did not like it.  She wondered what could possibly motivate Alinda to such action.

            The day passed by as any normal day in the sewing chamber did.  The women did their usual amount and type of work and the chamber was punctuated all the day long with the accents of the women chattering about the scandal.  Keelin was one of the few who did not speak, even though Alinda attempted to start a conversation with her several times that day.  Keelin's feelings were simply too wounded for her to wish to converse with her friend.  When their workday was finally finished, Keelin set her work aside and walked toward to door, not bothering to wait for Alinda.  Her friend caught up with her, however, and held her back until all the other women had gone.

            "Do not be angry with me," Alinda pleaded, looking into Keelin's eyes.  Alinda's eyes were filled with tears that threatened to spill at any moment.  "I do not know what has made me such a shrew today.  Perhaps I did not get enough sleep last night either."

            Keelin sighed, unwilling and unable to stay mad at her friend.  "'Tis all right, Alinda.  All is forgiven."

            "Truly, Keelin, I did not mean to make sport of you.  I think you very intelligent and your conversation is always stimulating to me.  I suppose that, perhaps, I am simply feeling a bit too much sympathy for the Italian princess."

            "How can you possibly feel sympathy for such a woman?" Keelin asked incredulously.

            "Think about it, Keelin," Alinda said.  "You said yourself that your master evaded punishment for so long because he was a man.  Do you not see that women have so few choices in this world?  Do you not see that we are not valued for anything more than our appearance and ability to bear children?  We have not the freedoms of men.  Men see to it that we are kept subordinate and so we are punished where a man would not be punished."

            "What you say is true, but we do have a choice, Alinda.  Men may control our freedom and some of our choices, but they can never control all of our choices.  As women, we can choose how to conduct ourselves and that is the greatest choice of all.  Because of this, I naturally find fault with a woman who chooses to throw away her own virtue.  Once lost, it may never be regained."

            Alinda had a stubborn look on her face.  "What you say may be true, but I still think the princess is not entirely at fault.  The world may see her that way, but I admire her for doing what she pleased.  I cannot say that I would conduct myself in the same manner, but I should hope I would have the courage to make my own choices in all aspects of my life, even if it meant I was to face great challenges or to be punished."  

            They were silent for a moment and then the brooding expression upon Alinda's face melted away, replaced by a smile.  "Come now; let us not talk of such heavy subjects any longer.  Let us join the others at dinner," she said, tugging on her friend's hand.

            Keelin followed, but she was elsewhere mentally.  Alinda's words had made a very great impression on her.  She felt that there was something her friend was not telling her either, some great choice that Alinda was struggling with herself.  However, Keelin also found that Alinda's words had a great deal of application in her own life.  She pondered them, wondering if perhaps she ought to take them as words of wisdom and attempt to use them in her own situation.  After all, was it not her fear of the challenges she might face that kept her from fully dedicating herself to a relationship with the prince?  She wondered if perhaps she ought to think more like her friend.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

Rhain blew out a breath before the servant opened the door to the king's study for him the next morning.  From the whispers of the servants, it was apparent that the news about the Italian princess's disgrace was now public.  He could feel the servants surveying him with curious eyes, probably wondering how he's reacted to seeing his supposed fiancée in an intimate embrace with another man.  For their part, the Italians had quickly departed from the castle early in the morning.  Rhain was uncertain of how his father's relationship with the Italian king stood.

            When he entered the chamber, the prince saw that his father was seated wearily in a chair, his mother seated at the king's right hand.  The queen shot her son a covert look of triumph, which surprised the prince a great deal.  He had had no idea that his mother had disliked the Italian princess so, but the look she had shot her son left no doubt in his mind that she had.

            "Be seated, my son," the king said, his voice calm and nondescript.  Rhain was uncertain of whether to be relieved or apprehensive at his father's tone.

            Rhain did as his father bade him, seating himself and looking at his mother across his father's massive desk.  She smiled broadly at her son and Rhain returned her smile.  Her look telegraphed her joy that she was not t gain an Italian daughter-in-law after all.

            "I have thought long and hard," the king began, steepling his fingers and leaning back in his chair.  He leveled a grave gaze at his son.  "Whilst I am angered that you chose to go against my wished by showing a blatant disregard for the Italian princess, I am reluctant to act on that anger because she had proven so unworthy of your regard.  However, I do want you to know that I am heartily disappointed in you.  Fortunately, the princess's own impudence rescued you for your bad conduct.  Her father was most anxious to sign a treaty as soon as possible so that he could depart for Italy immediately.  He apologized profusely for the conduct of his daughter and repeatedly assured me of the great friendship and goodwill that exists between Italy and England.  So, it would seem that you are very lucky this time."

            "Well, Father," Rhain responded, "I can understand your anger at your son disobeying your wishes, but only imagine if I had dutifully done as you wished me to do.  You may have seen your only son married to and humiliated by such a common, unchaste princess.  In fact, when all things are considered, is it not much more advantageous that I chose to follow my instincts rather than your wishes?"  Rhain knew he was treading dangerous ground, but he refused to come before his father with his hat in his hands.  Duty or no duty, Rhain had been right about the Italian princess and he felt that it was time that his father acknowledged that fact.

            The king colored slightly, but remained calmly in his seat.  "Disobeying a father's wishes is never justified," he said.  "I do admit, however, that it seems your instincts were better than mine in this instance."

            Rhain rose from his seat.  "Thank you, Father, for saying so and now that you know that my instincts are sometimes correct, perhaps you will leave it to me to select my own wife in the future."

            The king looked up at his son, his gaze steady.  "I only try to do what is best for this kingdom, but I shall not bring any other princesses here.  Between your stubborn refusal to acknowledge their presence and the lack of virtue that some have shown, I no longer have any hope of seeing you properly married."

            Rhain turned his gaze to his mother and the two exchanged grins of delight.  Of course, the king had tried to make it sound as though Rhain was a disobedient and sometimes disgraceful son, but that did not matter so much to the prince.  He was used to his father's displeasure.  What mattered more than anything was that his father had promised not to parade any more princesses around the castle in the fruitless hopes of enticing his son.  As long as he promised that, Rhain was willing to take any barbed comment his father might feel inclined to make.

            "Truly Father, you have my thanks for such an arrangement.  I shall be eternally grateful to you."

            The king waved his hand dismissively.  "You may go now," he said.

            Rhain gave his father a quick bow and then walked around to his mother's side of the desk so that he could kiss her cheek.  She embraced him briefly and then kissed his cheek, giving him a warm and motherly smile.  She was clearly glad for her son and it warmed Rhain's heart to see a smile upon his mother's face once again.

            Edwyn was waiting for him outside, anxiety apparent on his face.  When he saw hi friend's smile, however, his look quickly changed to one of relief.

            "Your father was not angry?" he queried.

            "Nay, there is nothing to anger him now.  He is displeased that I did not follow his wishes, but is unable to feel any anger against me because following his wishes might have led to my royal wife's being the most disgraceful England has ever known."

            Edwyn gave his friend a crooked grin.  "Ah, Rhain, you always know how to make a situation suit you."

            Rhain's own face broke into a grin.  "Aye, I do have that talent from time to time, do I not?"  Rhain glanced around the corridor to be certain that no one could overhear him and then moved closer to his friend, lowering his voice conspiratorially.  "Now my friend, we must discuss how I am to break the news to my father about the woman that I do wish to marry."

            "You are serious, then," Edwyn said, a look of wonder on his face.  "I confess, Rhain, I was not certain I would ever see this day come.  'Tis really very extraordinary."

            "Aye, 'tis," Rhain agreed.  "Come now; let us go to my study where we may discuss this privately."

            The two men walked swiftly to the study, Rhain sinking into the chair behind his desk and Edwyn pacing restlessly.  Both men were lost in thought for several moments before Edwyn finally broke the silence.

            "I confess, Rhain, 'tis all quite a mystery to me.  I cannot even being to think how or when you should tell your father your news."

            Rhain sighed and nodded.  "Aye, nor can I.  I suppose the best I can do is to simply tell him the truth about my feelings and hope for the best.  And I feel that the sooner I do so, the better."

            "Shall you tell him today?"

            "Nay, I think not.  I shall give him this day to reconcile the Italian situation and I shall approach him on the morrow."

            "Will you tell Keelin what you intend to do?"

            "Nay, such news could damage the relationship I have built with her.  'Tis simply too early for confession."

            Edwyn thought this over for a moment before responding.  "Aye," he said, slowly.  "I believe I can see the risk.  But how long shall you continue on in this manner before you tell her that you love her?"

            Rhain shrugged, gazing off into space.  "I cannot say.  If I felt more certain of her feelings for me, I would tell her right away.  As I am presently uncertain of her feelings for me, I am unwilling to risk her knowing the extent of mine.  Edwyn, I do not think I could bear the pain of losing her."

            His friend nodded that he understood.  "Are you to see her today, then?" he asked.

            "Nay, even though I fervently wish to do so.  I think I must give her a day to reflect upon her own feelings.  I also fear that word may spread around the castle and I do not want anyone else knowing of our meetings because I fear what she might suffer at the hands of the other servants."

            "That is wise," Edwyn replied.

            Both men knew that such attentions as Rhain was bestowing upon Keelin had been the cause of not only jealousies, but even war.  Peasant and nobleman alike competed to gain the favor and attention of the royal family and there were many who would stop at nothing to gain such attentions.  Very often, those who were in royal favor were despised amongst their peers.

            Their conversation was interrupted by a knock on the door and then the entrance of the king's page.  The boy bowed in front of Rhain with a look of awe and respect on his young face.

            "His Majesty requests the presence of Your Highness in His Majesty's council chamber," the boy said.

            Rhain looked at Edwyn curiously.  "Shall I bring my knight with me?" he asked the boy.

            "His Majesty asked that Sir Edwyn attend as well."

            "Thank you, that is all," Rhain said, dismissing the boy.  Once the boy had left, the two friends exchanged a worried glance.

            "Why this sudden summons, I wonder?  If my father had something he wished to speak with me about, why did he not speak with me about it when I saw him earlier?" Rhain wondered.

            "I think we should make haste to the council chamber.  I hope the news is not grave."

            "As do I," Rhain agreed.

            The two men hurried to the king's study.  Upon entering, they found that all of the king's advisors in attendance.  Rhain knew that it must be very serious news for his father to have the people in attendance that he did.  Rhain and Sir Edwyn took seats at the table.  The prince noticed that his mother hovered behind her husband's chair, a deeply worried look on her face.

            "My son, Sir Edwyn, thank you for joining us," the king said.

            "I hope 'tis nothing serious, Father," Rhain said, without preamble.

            "'Tis a matter of the utmost seriousness," the king replied.  "And I am uncertain of how to proceed."

            At this, the king's foreign minister broke in with, "Your Majesty…"

            "You have voiced your concerns, Cairon, and I have listened to them," the king said, holding up his hand.  "I now wish to hear what my son and Sir Edwyn have to say."

            Rhain and his friend exchanged glances as the king continued.  "I have received an invitation to go to Germany.  The king of France has called for me, the Spanish king, the Italian king, and the German king to discuss tensions between our countries.  Henri claims that he wishes to prevent warring between our countries.  He suggests meeting on neutral ground in Germany in light of the tensions between us.  That was intelligent on his part as he must know I would never consent to visit his court at present.  I believe there is some value in this endeavor, but Cairon believes 'tis an attempted by Henri to ambush me."

            Rhain thought for a moment before speaking.  "I do agree with you, Father, that there is merit to this suggestion.  'Tis certainly to our advantage to avoid warring with any of our neighbors for some time so that we might have a chance to rebuild our country and our army."

            "Perhaps Henri knows that and is using the knowledge to devise a way to lure His Majesty into danger," Cairon said.

            "Certainly Cairon has a point, Your Majesty," Sir Edwyn said, frowning.  "After all, we can hardly afford to trust France, can we, knowing that Mordrid is in hiding there and perhaps under the king's own protection."

            King Richard sighed and nodded.  "Of course, Sir Edwyn.  That is a matter of great concern to me.  Still, how long can my kingdom continue in these hostilities with France?  I am determined to do right by my people and that means avoiding war for as long as possible."

            "'Tis without question that we should not strike against the French, in spite of Mordrid," Rhain agreed.  "Prudence demands that we take a defensive rather than offensive position.  However, there is something about this proposal that makes me uneasy.  I am so loath the trust France and the possibility of a tragic occurrence is very real.  We cannot simply rule out our feelings of apprehension."

            "Nay, we cannot indeed," the king agreed.  "France has long been our enemy and we must always be on our guard around such an enemy.  I too feel uneasy at the prospect, but duty and honor also demand that I consider the proposal most seriously, especially since the potential benefits far outweigh the risks."

            "It would seem that your mind is made up," Rhain stated.

            "Aye, 'tis.  I feel compelled to accept this invitation in the hopes that 'twill inspire other kings to follow.  I must do all I can to ensure the future peace of my kingdom."

            "I have never known you to make an imprudent decision with regard to your kingdom," Rhain stated.  "As I am not at ease with the idea of your going alone, I shall go with you."

            The king looked as if he wanted to forbid Rhain to accompany him, but did not wish to place the two of them at odds in front of so many witnesses.  "Consider, my son, the risk of our both attending the meeting.  If an ambush were to happen, what would become of England if we both fell victim?"

            "I am aware of the risks, but I am also aware that 'tis my duty to protect my father and king," Rhain answered.  "Were any evil to befall me, the throne would pass to my cousin, whom I trust would make a competent leader to his people, although not such a one as illustrious as you.  'Tis my duty to attend you to Germany and I will not ignore that duty, no matter the risks."

            For one of the few times in his life, Rhain could see approval and pride shining in his father's eyes.  The prince had not made his declaration merely to inspire pride for his words had been sincere.  Still, it helped close the massive gulf that existed between him and his father and it made Rhain's heart swell with gratitude.

            "I shall attend both Your Majesties," Edwyn declared.  "I do not think it wise to arrive in Germany with an army of knights as that will make us appear aggressive, but I will see to it that a small contingent of Your Majesty's finest knights are also in attendance.  Your Majesty's knights are ready and willing to give their lives to ensure Your Majesty's safety."

            "Of that I have no doubt," the king replied.  I have and have always had the greatest of confidence in my knights.  I know that they will do all in their power to see me and my son safe.  I shall have no fear as long as my faithful knights are in attendance."

            "When do we part, Father?" Rhain asked.

            "In a sennight," the king replied.

            "Until then, I shall see to it that Your Majesty's knights are vigorously exercised.  I shall submit a list of the knights I think most fitting for this mission to Your Majesty in three days' time so that any necessary adjustments may be made," Edwyn said.

            "If it pleases you, Father, I shall exercise along with the knights so that I may also be prepared.  If you require my presence, your page should seek me amongst the knights."

            "You have my approval, Sir Edwyn.  You, my son, have my permission to exercise with the knights.  I think it a very wise course of action on your part.  That is all I require of you for the moment.  We shall meet again in three days' time to discuss Sir Edwyn's list."

            Rhain and Sir Edwyn stood from the table and bowed to the king before parting the chamber.  The prince and his friend immediately turned their steps toward Rhain's study and, once inside, Rhain turned to Edwyn.

            "Tell me truly, what think you of this voyage?" Rhain asked.

            Edwyn shook his head, a grim look on his face.  "Truly, I think it the perfect setup for an ambush.  I understand what His Majesty is saying about the need for reaching for peace, but I think this is too great of a risk."

            "I think he must go, but I am very uneasy.  I am certain that Mordrid will not let such an opportunity pass him by.  We must train the knights hard and select only the finest to accompany my father on his journey.  We will need to be cautious."

            "We will need to be more than cautious, we will need to be wary of everyone and everything on this voyage," Edwyn replied.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

It was a slow day in the sewing chamber until the women were readying themselves to end their work and have their dinner.  At that moment, the king's tailor came into the chamber, inspiring a stifled groan from Keelin as the man approached Sarah and engaged her in what appeared to be a very urgent conversation.

            "Tell me there is not to be another surprise ball," Keelin whispered to Alinda.

            "I pray not!  I simply cannot bear to look at another length of silk or to embroider another velvet gown," Alinda groaned.  

            The women did not have to wait in suspense for very long.  The tailor scurried off, leaving Sarah alone and obviously frantic.  She waved her hands impatiently, indicating that the women should lay their work aside and devote their full attention to her.  She made her announcement without ceremony.

            "His Majesty is to attend a conference in Germany with four other kings.  In honor of this conference, His Majesty the king and His Highness the prince are to have new robes and the knights accompanying Their Majesties are to have new surcoats to wear bearing the royal coat of arms.  His Majesty also desires new banners to be made and requires gifts to bear to the other kings.  His Majesty leaves in a sennight's time, so there is no time for us to waste.  The tailors shall work on Their Majesties' robes, but we must make the banners, surcoats, and gifts."

            A chorus of groans sounded throughout the chamber, followed by a flurry of activity.  Sarah huddled over a table with three of the expert stitchers, studying and adjusting the patterns for the things the sewing women would have to stitch.  They would have to copy the patterns right away so that the women could begin their work.  In the meantime, the other sewing women were to begin gathering and cutting cloth to exact lengths and specifications until the stitching could begin.

            Keelin also began cutting cloth, but she felt as if she were moving through water with every gesture.  She felt an unexplained sense of dread at this new information and knew that she would have to find the prince as soon as possible so that she could get the whole story from him.  She felt a horrible sense of anxiety, certain that the French king was one of those who would be in attendance in Germany.  If that were so, there was a distinct possibility that the former Earl would be there and out for blood.  Still, Keelin resolved not to panic until she could find Prince Rhain and ask him to fill in the gaps of the information she now held.  Surely he would never do something as foolhardy as to agree to a meeting with the French king.

            The problem was how she was going to find the prince.  He normally sent for her when they met, unless they happened to meet one another by chance.  She had never attempted to initiate contact with him and she was not certain how to go about doing so without drawing attention to her request.  She played out several scenarios in her mind, rejecting each one in turn.  Finally, she decided that all she could do was go out onto the battlements that night and hope that she would find him there.  It had happened once before and, on that occasion, Keelin had the distinct impression that the prince often haunted the battlements when he could not sleep at night.  Thus, it was resolved in her mind that she would wait until all the other women were asleep and then go out onto the battlements seeking the prince.  There was no danger of her falling asleep and being unable to fulfill her plans.  She knew she would never sleep this night.

            It was several more hours before the women were finally able to leave their work for the night and have their dinner.  It was very late by this time, so the women dragged themselves to their chamber, most falling asleep the moment they lay down.  Keelin waited for what seemed an eternity before she rose from her pallet.  All around her were the sounds of slumber: deep breathing, snoring, and murmuring.  She crept to the window slit, finding that the night was mild, a pale shaft of moonlight filtering down to illuminate the castle grounds.  Keelin pulled her wrap on and hastily pulled shoes on her feet before slipping silently from the chamber.

            She took the same route she had taken the last time.  She had taken pains this time to be certain that she would be presentable to the prince if she happened to run into him.  Her hair was neatly braided into one long, thick rope and she was glad to realize that there was only a mild breeze blowing across the battlements, which barely ruffled her skirts and gently stirred the tendrils of hair that always escaped from her coiffure.  There were no wild winds to whip her hair and skirts around tonight and for that Keelin was grateful.

            Keelin walked softly and slowly along the battlements, always on the lookout for both the prince and anyone else who might happen to be out for a stroll in the wee hours.  She was relieved that no one seemed to notice her, but she was worried when she didn't see the prince.  She walked for a while longer, but to no avail.  Keelin was just about to give up and return to her chamber when she felt a presence behind her and heard a soft voice murmur her name.  The sound was familiar, intimate in a way that Keelin could never have imagined.  She felt a shiver race down her spine and she whirled around to find herself facing the prince.

            He was dressed in much the same manner as he had been the last time she had seen him on the battlements.  He wore tight black breeches and knee-high black leather boots that hugged his tightly muscled calves and thighs to perfection.  A blousy white shirt was tucked in at his belted waist, the laces at the neck untied so that she caught a glimpse of gingery chest hair.  He wore black leather bracers on his wrists and they emphasized the power and strength of his hands, wrists, and arms.  This time, however, his hair was not loose but tied back in a slightly disheveled ponytail that was held with a bit of black leather.  He was so powerfully masculine, so perfectly sculpted that Keelin felt a little breathless.  He was truly magnificent.  She could do nothing more than stare at him for a few moments without speaking.

            The prince did not speak immediately either.  His eyes were locked with hers and she had the uncanny feeling that he was looking straight into her soul.  The powerful gaze of his beautiful blue eyes made Keelin's knees feel weak.  Giving in to this weakness, she finally moved away from his gaze, seating herself on one of the ledges.  He struck the same pose he had the last time they had met on the battlements, one leg propped up on the ledge next to her, his right arm resting casually across it, but this time the wrist that was propped on his knee was held taut.  Instead of his fingers lying in a relaxed position, he held them in a tightly clenched fist.  His face was in profile and as she watched him, she could see the muscles in his jaw clench and unclench.  He swallowed spasmodically until she could no longer take it.

            "Please, Your Highness.  I beg of you to tell me what I need to know," she said, simply, her voice slightly pleading.

            Prince Rhain continued to gaze straight out ahead of him, his jaw continuing to work.  She did not know if he did not understand her meaning or if he was simply pretending he did not.  "Why is it that I had the most uncanny feeling I would find you here?  I have the oddest sensation that you and I are attuned to one another, almost as if you beckoned me to meet you out here with the power of your thoughts alone," he said, ignoring her original question.

            Keelin was taken aback.  She did not know how to respond to his assertion and she stumbled over her words.  "I suppose it may be because this seems a very private place to meet at nightfall.  I suppose 'tis also because Your Highness's mind is as disturbed as mine."

            "Do you think my mind is disturbed?" he asked her.

            Keelin looked down at her hands, which were tensely clasped in her lap.  "Your Highness, I know of the trip to Germany.  We have been stitching banners, gifts, and surcoats for the knights all the day long," she replied.

            "And you feel that a trip to Germany has disturbed my mind?"

            Keelin began to feel a little nervous.  He seemed so cold, so removed from her that she began to fear that she might be prying at a most unwelcome time.  "Forgive me, Your Highness," she mumbled.  She got to her feet to leave him.  "I did not mean to disturb you."

She turned to go, but he grabbed her right elbow, spinning her around to face him.  Their faces were mere inches apart.  Keelin could feel her heart beat faster, her breathing quicken.  For a second, she thought he was going to kiss her.  She felt desire stir within her, leaving her longing for the touch of his lips on hers.  Her feelings terrified her.  

Suddenly, he loosened his grip on her elbow, but did not let it go.  With his free hand, he reached up and brushed several strands of hair from her face in a long, lingering caress.  The look in his eyes was dark and intense, causing Keelin to feel somewhat afraid.

            "I pray you, do not leave me at this moment," the prince said, his voice a murmur.

            Strange, unfamiliar sensations flooded through Keelin.  Her body felt hot and cold at once and her mind was nearly numb.  She felt almost as if she were floating, as if the weathered, ancient stones of the castle were immaterial beneath her feet.

            "Nay," she replied, her voice faltering.  "I shall not leave if Your Highness does not wish me to do so."

            The back of his left hand rested against her left cheek, but he released his grasp on her elbow.  "I very much wish you to stay," he murmured in response.  "You were correct, my mind is very disturbed.  'Tis only that you startled me with your perception.  How can you possibly know what is on my mind?"

            Keelin's tongue darted out to moisten her dry lips.  She took a breath before responding to him.  "The king of France shall be at this conference," she said.  It was a statement and not a question.

            "You are very perceptive indeed."  The prince let his hand fall from her face, his eyes lingering for a moment before he again took up the pose that he had struck when she had sat down.  She stood at his side, looking at his profile, studying his expression.  She began to feel anxious.  Even though she had known this to be true, she had still held onto the feeble hope that he would tell her it was not.

            "Your Highness fears an ambush," Keelin said.

            The prince whirled around to face her.  This time, he seized her upper arms with both of his hands.  His grasp was firm, but not painful.  The closeness of their bodies made her dizzy and Keelin could feel that every muscle in his body was taut with tension, almost as if he were preparing to fight or to flee.  Keelin was paralyzed as she looked into his eyes.  She had never seen such an expression in them before and she found that she was both frightened and thrilled by it.  Her body began to tremble.

            "The invitation came from the king of France himself.  He suggested a meeting on neutral ground, but I know that Mordrid will be there.  Aye, I do fear an ambush.  I am very much afraid for the life of my father.  I also fear that I shall never have the chance to tell you…"  His voice trailed off and his grasp on her arms loosened so that she could have moved away from him if she tried, but she did not.  She was rooted to the spot by the look of desperation and near despair in his eyes.  She could tell that he was holding something back from her, something that he desperately wanted to tell her but that he feared telling her.  

            "To tell me what?" she asked, her voice hoarse.  She had to know.

            "Keelin," was his only reply.  He pulled her to him, holding her tightly in his arms, his hands reaching up to cradle the back of her head.  He held her as if she were the most fragile creature in the world, as if he was not quite sure that she was real and he feared she would disappear.

            "Your Highness," Keelin said, trying to free herself from him.  Now she was truly afraid.  Surely what was happening must be a mistake born of the prince's worries.  She was certain that he was merely seeking some comfort and that she happened to be there to provide it.  There could be no other explanation.  She wanted to flee before he said or did something he would regret, something that would destroy the beautiful friendship upon which she had come to depend.  She could not bear it if she lost that companionship.  There was no one else in the world who had ever touched her in the way he had, who had ever made her feel so safe and at ease, who had ever seemed to value her opinions as highly as he did.

            "Oh, Keelin," he murmured, his lips brushing against her right temple and the hair on the side of her head.  He cupped her face in his hands, moving away from her slightly so that he could look into her eyes.  She felt dazed, as if she were caught in the void between sleep and wakefulness.  He gently tilted her head back, his eyes studying her with an intense gaze.  "Can you truly question what 'tis I fear that I will never have the chance to say to you?"

            "Your Highness is disturbed by thoughts of the conference and the presence of the French king and my former master.  I have no wish to disturb Your Highness and I will go now," she said, struggling feebly and impotently to free herself.  She felt a nearly insurmountable surge of fear at the thought of their conversation continuing.

            "Why did you seek me tonight?" he asked, forcing her to be still, to look at him.

            "I fear that my former master will be in Germany.  I fear that he will harm Your Majesties.  I needed to know if the king of France will be there and so I sought Your Highness."

            "You fear that Mordrid will hurt me?"

            "Aye, I fear it very much," Keelin replied, feeling the sting of tears at the corners of her eyes.  It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to conceal her feelings from him.  "I cannot bear the thought of Your Highness…"  She could not continue any further.  To disclose what she feared was simply too dangerous, too foolish.

            "What do you fear?" the prince asked fiercely, commanding her to tell him.

            "I fear that Your Highness will be killed!" she cried, the words bursting out of her almost of their own accord.  Once she had said the words, the rest of her emotions came pouring out, as if the gates holding them back had suddenly been forced open.  "I fear that I will never see Your Highness again.  Although I am only a mere servant and unworthy of Your Highness's regard, you have bestowed friendship upon me and I fear a life without that friendship.  If I were to lose it, I would feel its loss to my very soul, down to my very core.  You have been so good, so kind to me, making me feel as if I am worthy, as if I have thoughts worth sharing with others.  My life is much changed since I have been in the castle and I owe it all to you.  I can never even hope to repay the debt owed to Your Highness, but I had hoped that my undying loyalty might be worth something."

            "Your undying loyalty is worth more to me than the loyalty of any other person on this Earth," the prince said.  Keelin could hear the passion in his voice.  "'Tis worth more to me than the loyalty of my father, my mother, even Sir Edwyn, even that of every last person in this kingdom combined.  The knowledge of your loyalty is the one thing that propels me, the one thing that lends me the courage that I now need more than at any other time in my life.  I will carry your loyalty with me into Germany as my shield."

            Keelin did not know what to say.  In spite of her desperate struggle, she could feel the tears that had been welling in her eyes begin to spill over.  The prince's words were a bittersweet agony to her.  They made her feel more joy than she had ever known in her life, but they also frightened her to death.  Such powerful feelings as these would be alarming if inspired by any other man in the kingdom, but they were terrifying because it was the prince who inspired them.  Keelin tried to tell herself that she felt so strongly because she feared for the welfare of the kingdom if the prince were to die, but she could not fool herself into believing that her fears were any less than what they really were.  She feared not only for the welfare of the kingdom, but also for the welfare of her own heart.

            The prince had been studying her face all during this period and, as if he could read her thoughts and knew she was too affected to speak, he broke the silence himself.  "I will return to you," he said, his voice very, very low.

            These were words enough to break the spell that Keelin had fallen under.  They were too close, too intimate.  She had to get away before any more was said.  She took a step back from him, finding that the space between them gave her some small measure of comfort and strength.  Seizing upon this as a source of power, she spoke her next words.  "I shall trust Your Highness to return to the kingdom.  Your Majesties' subjects shall have our fears, but we shall trust in the strength of our prayers," she said.

            The expression on the prince's face changed to one of surprise and some measure of pain.  "I meant that I would return…"

            "I shall have no doubt of Your Highness's return," Keelin said, breaking in before he could say anything he would regret.  "And I shall not trouble Your Highness any further.  I know that Your Highness needs time to concentrate and to prepare for the journey.  I only wish to add that I wish Your Highness Godspeed."  Keelin took another few steps backwards, putting some more distance between herself and the prince, preparing herself to turn and leave him.

            The prince reached a hand out as if he wished to restrain her further, but allowed it to drop back down to his side without making any physical contact with her.  He looked somehow defeated.  His voice was tentative as he said his next words to her.  "May I ask the favor of your prayers for my safe return?"

            "I shall pray every moment for the safe return of Your Majesties and of Your Majesties' noble good knights," Keelin said, feeling the need to make the promise a little less personal.  She could not let him know just how fervently she would be praying for him and him alone.

            "You have my thanks," the prince replied.  His voice was weary and his eyes looked sad.  "I prithee, return to your chamber so that you may sleep.  I know you have much work ahead of you on the morrow and you need not feel any duty to remain here any longer on my account."

            Even though it broke her heart, Keelin knew that she had to leave him at that moment.  She simply could not allow anything more to take place between them than what had already happened.  As much as it would pain her, she was going to have to separate herself from the prince forever, for his own good.  She did not know the extent of his feelings for her, but she could not help but feel that what he did seem to be feeling for her was alarming.  Keelin could not allow herself to encourage any further attentions from him.  She could not allow him to lose his heart to her as hers was lost to him.  For the good of the kingdom and, most important of all, for his own good, Keelin was going to have to remove herself from the prince's life.  He had to be free to concentrate on this dangerous journey and, when he returned, he had to be free to find himself a proper wife, someone who was fit to one day be queen.  As much as she had been gratified by the attention he had paid her, Keelin was not fool enough to think herself worthy of such an office.  The prince deserved so much more than anything she could possibly offer him.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

            The next few days passed by in a dizzying blur of activity for the prince.  With each day that passed, the sense of urgency that was felt by everyone in the kingdom increased exponentially, so that after a few days, the prince and his men were nearly working themselves to death.  They rose at dawn and exercised until well after nightfall, pausing only to fall into an exhausted slumber for a few hours each night before rising and repeating the cycle.  Sir Edwyn was worried that the men would overexert themselves, that they would be so exhausted by the time they reached Germany that they would be as useless as they would have been without any training.  His fears were legitimate and he tried to share them with his friend, but the prince was like a man possessed.  Rhain worked harder than any of the rest of the men, often exercising for hours after the rest of the men had collapsed on their pallets.

            Rhain appeared to feel a single-minded concentration, but, in truth, his mind was much more distracted than anyone would have thought.  It was true that Rhain grew increasingly apprehensive as the day for their departure approached, but he also worked as hard as he did to banish thoughts of quite a different nature from his head.  

He could not stop replaying his last night on the battlements with Keelin.  He had desperately wanted to tell her of his feelings for her and had even begun to do so when she had reacted in such a manner as to convince Rhain that his address would be repulsive to her.  He could not ignore the pain in his heart, no matter how hard he tried.  It seemed that the harder he trained, the more his heart ached and yet he felt that if he were to rest, even for a moment, he would be overwhelmed by grief at the idea that Keelin did not love him or at least not as he loved her.

As the days wore on, Rhain tried to convince himself that the outcome had been for the best.  He could not ignore the fact that he would be facing very grave danger in Germany and that the chances of his being killed or maimed were quite high.  He told himself that it was better for Keelin if she did not love him, if she did not wish to hear his address.  If he were to be killed or wounded in Germany, her grief would be much less than it would be if she loved him as he did her.  In spite of this conviction, Rhain could not help but suffer from the selfishness of wishing that she had heard his address and that she returned his feelings, so that he could carry her love into Germany with him.  He pushed these feelings aside and told himself to think only of Keelin, to think only of what was best for her and he had to admit that the current state of things appeared to be the best state as far as her well-being was concerned.

However, in the end, Rhain decided that he could not bear leaving England without one last interview with the woman he loved.  He felt that he needed to leave something of himself behind with her in England and that he needed to carry one last remembrance of her into hostile lands with him.  He needed to see her one last time, needed to see her smile just for him, needed to hear the sweetness of her voice as she spoke to him.

The night before he was to leave, Rhain sent for her, requesting her presence in his study.  He paced the stone floor of the chamber nervously as he waited, wishing that he had at least had time to bathe and to change his clothing.  He was still wearing the simple white shirt, tight black breeches, and black leather boots that he had been wearing to train.  The prince had removed his armor and his sword, but still wore studded black leather bracers on his wrists.  He had pushed his sweat-dampened hair back from his face and tied it as neatly as he could with a black leather thong.  He was sure that he looked terrible and did not smell much better, but his spirits were so low that he was not sure he would have even felt equal to making himself more presentable in the first place.

At long last, a servant opened the door and announced Keelin before quickly disappearing, closing the door behind him.  As Keelin advanced toward him, Rhain could see that she looked nearly as exhausted as he felt.  She was also nearly as disheveled as he was.  Her apron was again spotted with blood from repeated finger prickings and her servant's gown was very wrinkled.  Her cap was slightly askew and several thick strands of curly hair had escaped so that they framed her face and clung damply to the back of her neck.  There were dark shadows under her eyes and the corners of her mouth were tugged downward with exhaustion.  His heart swelled and he wished that he could lay her down on his bed and then sit beside it and watch her sleep.  

Her eyes did not meet his and she stopped several feet in front of him to bow before him.  He noticed that she was carrying something in her arms, which she held out to him when she rose from her bow.

"I wished to present this to Your Highness," she said to him, her voice sounding a little tentative.

Rhain looked at her inquisitively, but she still would not meet his glance.  He took the parcel from her and set it on his desk so that he could unwrap it.  When he had removed the layer of linen that was wrapped around it, he could see that it was his surcoat.  It was elaborately and beautifully worked, made of crimson velvet edged with double lines of gold ribbon and embroidered in gold thread.  The royal crest of a lion roaring and standing on his hind legs while crushing a serpent underfoot was boldly embroidered across the chest and the back.  He ran his fingers over the fine stitching in awe.  "'Tis magnificent," he said quietly, not taking his eyes off it.

"I-I stitched it for Your Highness.  'Twas more than simple work for me, 'twas an act of friendship.  I wished Your Highness to know that, with each thread I stitched, I said a prayer for your safe return.  'Tis my hope that my prayers of protection worked their way into each stitch so that Your Highness may return unscathed."  Keelin's voice was low and, as he glanced at her, he could see that she was studying his expression earnestly.

"I know not how to thank you for such a gift," he said to her, sincerely.  He looked into her eyes as he spoke.  "I shall wear it with pride and honor.  I am certain that your prayers shall protect me."

"I hope that Your Highness shall soon return to renew our friendship," she said, her eyes not moving from his.

            "That is my hope as well," he told her.  "Just as you have brought me a symbol of your friendship, I have a symbol of my own friendship to give you."  The prince took a small velvet pouch from his desk and held it out to Keelin.  She hesitated, but he gently stretched his arm out to bring the pouch closer to her.  Her fingertips brushed his palm as she took it and he could feel that they were rough from the hours of hard work she had put into the stitching of his surcoat.

            "'Tis not necessary for Your Highness to give me a token of friendship.  'Tis enough for me to know that such friendship exists," she said, the pouch resting in her hand as she spoke.  He saw her caress the pouch briefly and felt a surge of hope within his heart.

            "I would not wish to leave for Germany without giving you such a token," he told her.  "Alas, it does little to express the depths of my gratitude to you or the strength of the friendship I feel for you."

            Keelin blushed slightly and lowered her head.  She opened the pouch slowly and then gently pushed aside the scrap of velvet that was within, uncovering his gift.  She lifted the gift out of the pouch, turning it slowly in her fingers.  It was a ring with a small locket on the top and when she opened the latch, she saw that a lock of his hair lay within. She gasped and he saw that her eyes sparkled with tears.  

            "Oh, Your Highness, I know not how I could possibly accept such a gift," she said to him.

            "I prithee, Keelin, take it and wear it.  'Twill cause me great pain if you refuse it," he said, feeling an ache in his heart.  His palms were damp as he waited to see whether she would accept or refuse his gift.

            "I have no wish to cause you pain," she said slowly, still turning the ring in her fingers.  "I shall keep it until Your Highness returns safely from Germany and then I shall restore it to you, as Your Highness is its proper owner."

            Unable to stop himself, Rhain reached out and gently tilted her chin back so that she was looking him in the eye.  He allowed his hand to linger for a second before gently skimming his fingers along her jaw line and then letting his hand fall back to his side.

            "I shall not accept it when I return," he told her.  "'Tis my particular wish that you always have a part of me with you."

            Keelin looked as if she wanted to protest, but she seemed to have lost the power of speech.  She blushed still more deeply before turning her back to him and moving away a few steps.  He heard her take a few deep, shuddering breaths, as if she was trying to control some powerful emotion, and then she turned to face him again.

            "There is nothing I can say in the face of such a gift.  Know only that my gratitude to Your Highness is so great that I could not possibly express it through my words.  I shall pray for Your Highness every day until you return to England."  She turned as if she would leave.

            "I prithee, Keelin," he said, stopping her in her tracks.  He waited until she turned to face him once again.  "Put it on and let me see how it looks upon your finger."

            Her gaze quickly darted away from his and he could see that her hands were trembling.  She fumbled with the ring for a moment before actually managing to slide it on her finger.  Rhain crossed the chamber in a few quick strides and took her hand gently in his.

            "It looks well upon your finger," he said to her.  The prince lowered his head to her hand and kissed the ring gently.  He then turned her hand over and gently kissed her sore, pricked finger, wanting to soothe her wounded skin with the touch of his lips.  He raised his head and looked into her eyes, clasping her hand gently in his.              

"I-I must go now," she said to him, tugging her hand from his.  "Godspeed, Your Highness.  I shall watch Your Majesties' departure on the morrow, but I wish Your Highness to know that I shall not rest until you return safely to me," she said, her voice passionate.  The color in her face deepened even more and she looked suddenly conscious of how she had phrased her wishes.  The prince was stunned.  He started toward her, wanting desperately to ask her what she meant by her remark, but, in the blink of an eye, she had fled the chamber.

*****

Once free of the prince's study, Keelin fled down the corridors of the castle until she came to an obscure corner.  She tucked herself into it so that she would not be noticed by anyone else and then pressed her right hand to her mouth, trying to hold in the sobs that were making ferocious attempts to burst forth.  She could not believe that she had said to him what she had.  What would he think of her now?  She was making her feelings much too plain and she feared that she was only encouraging him to feel something very improper toward her.

            She gradually became conscious of the smooth, cool feeling of the gold ring band pressed against her lips.  She pulled her hand away from her mouth so that she could see the ring better.  The band was simple, without any adornment.  The locket was oval-shaped and its face was elaborately and exquisitely carved with a motif of vines and leaves.  She beheld it with wonder, unable to believe that the prince could possibly have given her such a gift.  She felt certain that she must be dreaming.  Her left hand trembled as she lifted it and undid the locket's latch once more.  She stared at the precious lock of hair within for a full minute.  She felt such a sense of reverence that she did not even dare touch the lock, no matter how badly she wished it.  Keelin closed the locket and then pressed its face to her lips, tears running down her face as she kissed it.  She realized with a sudden, electric jolt that she was kissing what had graced the prince's lips only a few moments ago and the sense of liquid fire that engulfed her was frightening.

            Giving in to the weakness of her knees, Keelin allowed herself to sink down to the stone floor, feelings its coolness and strength through her gown.  She could not possibly wear the prince's ring on her finger, no matter how badly she wanted to do so.  There would simply be too many questions and she knew that she would be unable to answer them.  She would have to come up with another solution.  She looked down at her apron and felt a sudden inspiration.  It was already coming apart at the bottom and, as she gently tugged along the hem of it, she was easily able to separate a thin strip of cloth from the rest of the apron.  With a great deal of reluctance, she pulled the ring from her finger and threaded it onto the strip of cloth.  She then tied the cloth around her neck and tucked it inside her gown.  The ring was now concealed and, as sorry as she had been to remove it from her finger, she wondered if this solution were not a better one as she realized that the ring now rested against the steady beat of her heart.

            Keelin pressed a hand to her heart, holding the ring close to her body.  She felt the impropriety of the prince offering her such a gift, but she had known that she had to take it when he said it would cause him great pain if she did not.  She would not have taken it under any other circumstances.  Still, now that it was in her possession, she was uncertain of how she could possibly have dealt with the disappointment if she had not taken it.  It was certainly no substitute for the actual presence of the prince, but at least she now had a part of him with her.  She knew that she was standing at the edge of some very fearsome, lonely times and the ring would bring her some comfort.  She would daily live in fear of the well-being of the prince, but she knew that if anything should happen to him, at least this piece of him would live on with her.

            Such thoughts were quickly becoming intolerable and brought a fresh wave of tears to Keelin's eyes.  She was terrified for the prince, but could not tell him because she was certain he was troubled enough without the heavy addition of her apprehensions.  As hard as she tried to push her dark thoughts aside, the insidious fear of his death kept creeping into the corners of her mind.  If anything were to happen to him, Keelin was not certain how she would live.  She did not even want to think of what a life without him would be like and yet she lived in constant fear that she would soon have no choice but to know what such a life was like.

            At long last, Keelin gave a long, shuddering sigh and pulled the back of her hand across her eyes.  She needed to get back to the sewing chamber to see if anything else needed to be done.  She pulled herself up from the floor and tried to compose herself as best she could.  When she had managed to gain some measure of control over her emotions, she began walking toward the sewing chamber.

            Once in the chamber, Keelin went back to her seat and looked over at Alinda.  "Have you anything that I may help you finish?"

            "Aye, if you could finish that banner there, 'twould be a great help to me," Alinda replied, barely lifting her head, so intent on her work was she.  "Why did His Highness summon you?"

            Keelin tried her best to sound nonchalant, to achieve the proper degree of pain and worry in her voice as she spoke.  She was so afraid that she would give too much away.  "His Highness wished for his surcoat and so I was called to present it."

            Alinda looked up and studied her with a look of compassion.  "His Highness must feel a great deal of apprehension on the eve of his journey."

            "I cannot say precisely what His Highness feels," Keelin lied.  "I can only say that His Highness appears as brave and strong as ever.  He may feel some degree of worry about the journey, but His Highness did not show any fear that I recognized."

            Alinda nodded approvingly and then turned back to her work.  "That is just as a prince ought to be," she said.  "Although I must confess that I would be most worried if I were to make such a journey."

            "And I suppose that some would say that is the difference between women and men.  Men face their fears with great courage while women faint away at the very thought," Keelin said ironically.

            "That is most untrue," Alinda said, her lips curling in a moue of distaste.  "Women may feel things more deeply, but I believe that women face fears that men could never dream of facing.  Understand that I do not consider staying at home to be a greater challenge than that of going to war, but would not you rather be on the battlefield than to sit at home and wait and wonder?"

            "I confess I would," Keelin said with a sigh.  She made a few embellishing stitches around the royal crest on the banner.  "I shall hope and pray that this journey may end soon and safely."

            "So shall we all," Alinda replied.  "'Tis a time of great fear in our kingdom.  Still, 'tis all necessary and while we shall both fear for the safety of Their Majesties, just as we ought, at least we may say that we neither of us have a particular loved one who will be a party to the journey."

            Keelin was so shocked by this statement that she was sure that her expression in that split second must have made her feelings quite transparent.  She recovered herself as quickly as possible, stitching at the banner furiously in a vain attempt to calm herself somewhat.  "I suppose that such circumstances may bring us some comfort," she managed to say.

            Alinda lifted her head and looked her friend full in the face.  "I should think it would bring us a great degree of comfort," she said, her voice sounding a little surprised.

            Keelin lifted her head to meet her friend's gaze as she lied through her teeth.  "It shall bring me a degree of comfort, but I cannot help but fear for what may become of the kingdom if anything should happen to Their Majesties.  I should think that no one would be as liberal and generous of a ruler as His Majesty, do not you?  How can I help but fear?  I have known no other king than His Majesty and may say that I hope I never shall."

            "Aye, that is true," Alinda agreed, turning her head back to her work, much to Keelin's relief.  "Who knows what turmoil the kingdom may be thrown into if it were to lose His Majesty?  One can only hope that it would not make us more vulnerable to invasion."

            Keelin shuddered at her words.  "One can only assume that our vulnerability to attack is exactly what the king of France most desires."

            "Indeed.  Vulnerability to France is the greatest evil of all," Alinda replied.

            Keelin did not feel that she could carry on with such a conversation much longer and felt that she might let Alinda's last comment stand as the final remark of their conversation.  They were silent for a short while as they concentrated on finishing their work.  

            "There, I have finished at last," Alinda announced, relief evident in her voice.  "It appears as though everyone is nearly finished.  We shall soon have our dinner and then we shall be able to sleep at long last."

            "Indeed," Keelin replied, putting the finishing stitches on her banner.  She knew she would not be able to eat a thing or to sleep a wink, but she did not share this information with Alinda.  Even without sleep, she knew that she would find a great deal of relief and repose in the peace that would attend her once everyone else was asleep.  It would give her at least a few hours during which she would not be subject to the questions and notice of everyone else.

            She passed through the next few hours as best she could and was greatly relieved when, at long last, she found herself quite alone while everyone else in the castle slept.  She slipped from the sleeping chamber and found a quite corner of the castle in which to tuck herself.  Once assured of being out of the way of anyone's notice, Keelin closed her eyes and began to hope for the safety of the king and his men and especially for the safety of her beloved Prince Rhain.  While the rest of the sewing women slept, Keelin spent the whole night in this manner, finding her only comfort in her pleas to heaven.  


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

Rhain passed an equally sleepless night.  He spent it with Edwyn in his study, going over their plan of action until neither man could bear to look at it any longer.  They spent a great deal of their time together in silence, each man lost in his own thoughts.  Rhain paced the length of his chamber so many times that he began to feel that he had never done so much walking in his life, not even during any of his previous lengthy marches into battle.

            At last, the feeble rays of dawn began to peek through the windows and the two men exchanged a glance.  Rhain felt such a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach that it nearly sickened him.  Edwyn did not look as if he felt much better.

            "Let us dress and then we shall visit the priest in the chapel for our prayers," Rhain said to his friend.

            "Is your father to be there?"

            "Nay, it shall be just the two of us.  My father and mother take their prayers in their own chambers with their own priest in attendance."

            Edwyn's face held a sympathetic expression.  "I cannot imagine the dread and fear under which your mother must be suffering."

            "Nor can I," Rhain replied.  "I only hope that it shall all come to nothing."

            "As do we all," Edwyn replied.  He rose from his chair and walked over to his friend to clasp him on the shoulder.  "I shall return presently, my friend."

            Rhain nodded and Edwyn left the chamber.  Rhain walked over to a window and gazed out of it for a moment.  He could see the forest spread out before him, the trees now touched with the blazing colors of autumn.  He thought back on the wonderful times he had spent there with Keelin and wished that he could flee there now, that he could conceal himself within the forest until she came to him.  The prince found himself wishing most fervently that the two of them could hide themselves away in the forest together forever, never to face another danger or another fear.

            With a sigh, he turned away from the window and walked to the door that led to his chamber, opening it with a heavy heart.  He found his servant waiting for him and, as much as he wished to be alone, Rhain knew that he would need the man's help to get into his clothing and armor.  When the servant was finished, Rhain dismissed him so that he might have a moment's peace.  The weight of the armor only added to the crushing weight he felt on his heart, making the prince feel as if he would collapse under the pressure.

            He heard a knock on his door and knew that it was Edwyn.  Rhain found that his friend looked as grim as he felt and the two men began to walk down the corridor toward the chapel.

            "Are you to see Keelin today?" Edwyn asked.

            "Nay," Rhain said, swallowing around a painful lump in his throat.  "I saw her yesterday and made her a gift of a locket ring with a lock of my hair in it."

            "You told her of your feelings for her, then?"

            "Nay, she would not hear them."

            Edwyn looked at him with some surprise.  "How did you explain such a gift if you did not present yourself as her lover?"

            "I told her 'twas a token of my friendship and that it would cause me pain if she did not wear it.  I could not bear to leave England without knowing that some part of me stayed behind with her.  I shall leave her my heart, but she does not know it.  'Tis enough that she knows she has a small lock of my hair."

            "I am most heartily sorry, Rhain," Edwyn said.

            "'Tis perhaps better this way.  If anything should happen to me, her pain must be much less than it would be if she did love me and if she were engaged to me."

            "I am sorry that you have nothing of her to carry into battle with you."

            "But I do.  I not only have my memories, I have this surcoat, which she alone stitched for me.  She told me that she said a prayer with each thread that she stitched in the hope that her prayers would work their way into the surcoat and protect me."  Rhain ran his hand briefly along the embroidery on his chest.

            "I am certain that they shall," Edwyn said.

            The two men reached the chapel, which was closed off to everyone else in the castle.  Rhain felt that he needed the sanctuary to himself, with only his most trusted friend and the priest to bear witness to his prayers.

            The priest said a mass, asking for the blessing of Their Majesties' safe return and praying that no harm would befall anyone of the company.  He then prayed with Edwyn and Rhain for a great while.  Rhain felt a sense of peace during these proceedings, but it was not a complete tranquility of mind.  He had a premonition that something horrible would happen, but felt some comfort in the belief that it was all part of a greater plan and that he would be called upon to act his part.  

            Rhain's prayers were not confined to the members of the party to Germany.  He also said many fervent prayers for Keelin, praying that she would be safe, happy, and well while he was gone, praying that the castle walls would be her sanctuary and that she would remain ever unchanged.  His one selfish prayer was that he would someday return to see her smiling face before him, to glory in her presence once again, and to be made breathless by her beauty.

            After two hours, Rhain and Edwyn finally rose with great reluctance.  They knew that it was time for them to depart.  The priest said one final prayer with them before following them out of the chapel and down the corridor.  Their party to Germany was to have a public send-off, with members of the court gathered in the main courtyard.  The royal procession would then lead them along public streets that were certain to be teeming with peasants to the docks, where they would board the royal ship and begin their voyage to Germany.

            Rhain parted company with the priest at the door to his father's study.  Edwyn stationed himself outside the door so that he might walk with Rhain and the king when the time came.  The prince entered his father's study alone so that he and his family might say their goodbyes in private.  

            The king stood inside with a look of grim resolution on his face.  He said nothing when his son entered, but took him in his arms and embraced him.  Rhain was surprised to see that his mother was tolerably composed and suspected that it was for his benefit.  Her breath came in short, quivering bursts and she was deathly pale, but she managed to keep her tears in check.  She held a handkerchief so tightly that her knuckles were white.  She grasped her son in a powerful embrace, surprising the prince with her strength.

            "May God bless you, my son," she whispered to him.  "I pray that you shall return safely to me and with good news very soon."

            "God willing, mother, we shall.  Remain faithful and continue to pray for us."

            "I shall," she answered.  "Know, my darling, that I love you and that you shall never be far from my thoughts."

            "Nor shall you be far from mine, Mother.  I love you."

"Go now so that you may return all the sooner," she replied, finally pulling back from him and smiling tremulously.  He kissed her on the cheek before turning to his father once again.

            "'Tis time," the king said, leading Rhain from the chamber.

            They paused just outside the doorway so that the king could receive Sir Edwyn's bow.  The knight and the prince's pages came forward, helping their masters with their metal gauntlets and handing them their helmets.  The king had decided that he would forgo his armor in favor of wearing an elaborate traveling costume in the interest of appearing at ease and confident in the safety of the German kingdom.  This made Rhain feel a little uneasy.  Still, he supposed that it was nothing to worry about, since his father would be traveling inside a closed carriage with knights all around him.  Finally, the three men began their procession down the long corridor and toward the heavy, studded oak double doors that formed the main entrance to the castle.  

            As he walked, Rhain kept his right hand clasped on the hilt of his sword, as if it would somehow guarantee him, his father, and the knights a safe journey.  The prince carried his helmet tucked under his left arm, pressing it so hard against his side that he almost fancied he could easily crush the metal.  His palms were sweaty inside his gauntlets, creating a clamminess that seemed to spread across his entire body, part after part of him becoming coated in a layer of cold, clammy sweat.  His stomach churned most unpleasantly. 

            An enormous crowd was gathered inside the main courtyard of the castle.  Members of the court stretched on each side of their path, eagerly bowing and kissing the hem of the robes of the king and the surcoats of Prince Rhain and Sir Edwyn.  The servants of the castle lined the upper walkways, crowding around the guards and archers who were stationed there.  As Rhain gazed up, he caught sight of the sewing women and of his beloved Keelin.

            Keelin's eyes met his, as if she instinctively knew that he would have picked her out in the crowd.  She held her hand over her heart as she gazed at him with a serious, somewhat fearful expression on her face.  She raised her hand and mouthed "Fare thee well" to him.  He nodded at her and mouthed "I shall return."  He took his right hand briefly off of his sword so that he could run his metal-clad fingers briefly across the lion that was emblazoned across his chest, the lion that she had stitched.  She gazed heavenward, as if willing God to prove the veracity of the prince's vow.  Reluctantly, Rhain tore his gaze from her, unable to keep her in his line of sight as he continued his advance.  His last impression was of her lifting her handkerchief and waving to him.  

            The men reached the edge of the castle's main courtyard and mounted their horses.  They were promptly joined by the rest of the king's knights and they rode out into the streets of the town.  The lesser nobility waved and cheered from the upper windows of their manors and the streets were lined with peasants who offered prayers and shouts of, "Long live the king!  Long live Prince Rhain!"  The men held their banners high as they rode down to the docks, but it was an unusually solemn procession.  Rhain felt as if he could cut the tension with his sword.

            Before long, the party reached their ship.  It took some time to board and as the ship's crew was at last preparing to shove off from the dock, Rhain felt the insane urge to mount his horse and ride off the ship as quickly as possible.  Instead, he turned away from the sides of the ship and walked swiftly across the deck and down the stairs that carried him to the cabins they would inhabit for the next several days at sea.  Sailing was always the prince's least favorite part of any approaching battle or diplomatic meeting.  He did not have the stomach for it and found that the anticipation of the coming event made his confinement onboard even more unpleasant than usual.  He was certain that he would be nearly crawling out of his skin by the time they reached Germany.

            When he reached his cabin, he found his servant waiting inside for him.  The man helped him remove his surcoat, armor, and gear, so that he was left wearing a simple shirt, leather jerkin, breeches, and boots.  He waited until the man was done tending his armor and then dismissed him.  When he was gone, Rhain walked over to the precious surcoat and ran his now bare hand across it.  The knowledge that Keelin had labored and prayed over it for him gave him a new sense of strength and fortitude.  He soon felt equal to the long hours of meetings with his father and Sir Edwyn that faced him.  He quit his chamber feeling considerably stronger than he had when he entered it.


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

            The days that followed the departure of the king and prince were heavy with tension and fear.  It seemed that no one spoke in the castle, for there was a strange hush hanging about it that was very different from the normal bustle and noise.  Not only was the normal noise absent, so was the presence of the normal crowd of people.  The only chamber that ever seemed to house more than a few people at a time during those days was the chapel.  Servants, peasants, and nobility alike spent hour after hour kneeling on the chapel floor, fervently praying for the safe return of the king and, as a consequence, for a return to the normal order of things in the kingdom.

            Keelin was very often among those who spent their days in the chapel.  She and the other sewing women had found themselves without employment, which was exactly the opposite of what Keelin would have wished.  While she did not necessarily enjoy long hours spent stitching war banners or ball gowns, she certainly did not look forward to the indolence that had followed the departure of the king.  All was seriousness in the kingdom now and so the services of the sewing women were not wanted.  The people were certainly too busy praying and fearing to even entertain the idea of a ball or even of a new everyday gown.

            When she was not in the chapel, Keelin spent long hours wandering through the forest, hoping for some sense of comfort and security.  Her solitary ramblings frequently took her to the sites that had been the former scenes of meetings between her and the prince.  She would sit for hours on end in these spots, replaying every last moment of the meeting in her mind.  She would dwell on every word, every expression of the prince in those moments, causing her heart to ache until she felt as if it would burst.  Now that he was gone, she could not help but wonder if perhaps she should not have kept her feelings concealed from him.  She honestly believed that she had done the best possible thing for his sake and for the kingdom's sake, but she could not stop the selfish little voices that told her that she should have thought of doing only what was best for her own sake.  What if she should lose him before she had ever had the chance to express what she felt for him?  The thought was almost too painful to bear.  It filled Keelin with a sense of loss that was astounding in its acuteness.  She had never felt such a sense of emptiness and sorrow, not even when her parents and her kind mistress and master had died.  It drove her to the brink of despair.

            Even though she was deeply distracted by the agitated state of her emotions, Keelin could not help but notice that Alinda was acting a little strangely.  Keelin found her friend studying her intently several times, as if Alinda were concentrating on Keelin with all her might in the hopes that she might be able to read Keelin's feelings.  In fact, her gaze became so penetrating that it began to make Keelin uncomfortable.

            "The absence of the prince troubles you deeply," Alinda said to her suddenly, two days after the departure of the king.  They were alone in the sewing women's sleeping chambers, each apparently lost in her own thoughts and fears before Alinda had spoken.

            "Does it not trouble everyone deeply?" Keelin asked, attempting to modulate her voice as her heart leap in fear.  She thought fearfully of the possibility that Alinda had somehow discovered something of the depth of Keelin's relationship with the prince.  She pressed her hand against her heart, feeling the ring dig into her skin.

            "Certainly it does.  One need not even say so.  However, you seem to feel it most acutely."

            Keelin felt herself go cold with fear and she struggled to keep her words even as she spoke.  "Have you any doubt that I do?  How can I not feel some sense of responsibility for what has occurred thus far?  'Twas because of me that the former earl was banished from the kingdom and 'tis because of me that His Majesty must now fear war with France."

            "I understand your thoughts, but you cannot mean to place so much responsibility on yourself.  Surely you know that His Majesty feared a possible war with France long before the former earl's banishment."

            Keelin relaxed a little at her friend's words.  They did make her feel somewhat better.  "I suppose that is true," she said.

            "Of course it is," Alinda answered, somewhat sharply.  "Everyone in the kingdom knows it."

            Keelin colored deeply, her hand rubbing nervously at her chest.  "I suppose you think that I am assigning myself a greater degree of importance than I truly possess."

            Alinda gave her friend a tired smile.  "I am sorry, Keelin, 'tis simply that I too feel quite on edge."

            "Of course," Keelin answered quickly, smiling back at her friend.

            "I am sorry if I injured you somehow.  I did not mean to do so.  Please forgive me," Alinda said.  She walked over to Keelin and folded her in a sisterly embrace.  

            "There is nothing to forgive," Keelin said, embracing her friend in return and feeling an enormous sense of relief.  

            Alinda suddenly withdrew from Keelin's embrace and looked at her friend with a startled expression.  "What is that?" she asked, looking down at the bodice of Keelin's dress.

            "What is what?" Keelin asked, truly alarmed.  She feared that the ring had somehow slipped out of the neckline of her dress and that Alinda had caught sight of it.  She glanced down but did not see anything.

            "I felt something hard press into me when I embraced you," Alinda said, studying her friend somewhat suspiciously.

            "I am sure 'twas nothing more than the boning under my gown," Keelin said, trying to suppress her panic.  

            "I suppose.  I imagine it must be too tight for you."

            "Why should you say that?" Keelin asked, feeling truly confused.

            "You are always rubbing or pressing your hand about your heart.  I have often wondered why you were doing so.  I can help you to fix your garments, if you need my help."

            "Nay, 'tis nothing," Keelin protested, laughing nervously.  "'Tis merely that I am so worried.  'Tis no more than an uneasy gesture."

            Alinda studied her doubtfully.  "If you say so," she said, "although I am quite certain that I felt something jab into me when I embraced you."

            Keelin took firm command of her emotions, determined not to let Alinda's questions compromise her composure any further.  "It must have been your imagination," she said.

            Alinda sighed.  "I suppose it possible.  It has been running quite wild these last two days."

            Keelin breathed a silent sigh of relief.  "I am certain you are not the only one in the kingdom who is suffering from such a problem."

            "Certainly not," Alinda answered stoutly.  "I am certain that my imaginings are nothing at all.  I certainly cannot feel the agitation that Her Majesty must be feeling at this time.  I wonder how I should feel were my husband and son both to quit me to face such danger."

            "Indeed, I am certain that none of us may possibly comprehend the state of Her Majesty's feelings," Keelin said, with real sympathy.  "Our concerns must be nothing to hers."

            "That is just what I think," Alinda agreed.  She seemed to be on the verge of saying more, but was interrupted by the entrance of a fellow sewing woman, who came to ask them if they were coming to dine.  Keelin could not regret the interruption as Alinda's powers of perception were proving to be a source of great discomfort.

            The dinners of the last few days had been unnaturally quiet.  Hardly anyone spoke and when they did so, it was usually in a whisper accompanied by a look of strain on the speaker's face.  No one could speak of anything other than the king and prince's dangerous journey and most everyone was afraid of speaking of it lest they say something to jinx it.  Superstition was running high throughout the kingdom.  Keelin frequently saw servants walking about the castle with small bags of herbs or various other charms that had been "guaranteed" to bring about the safe return of King Arthur and Prince Rhain.  Keelin did not buy into such superstitious beliefs, but she supposed that even if the charms and bags of herbs did not guarantee the safe return of the king and prince, at least they gave some peace of mind to their bearers.  She personally preferred to find her solace in aimless ramblings through the forest.

            In spite of all the good the forest did her, by providing her with very happy and tender memories, Keelin's mind was not completely tranquil.  She had a premonition that something terrible would occur in Germany, but she tried to push it out of her mind, tried to tell herself that it was merely the workings of her overactive imagination.  Still, any little bit of sleep that she did manage to get was filled with dreams of a confrontation with Mordrid, a confrontation that, curiously, seemed to also involve her.  She tried to tell herself that her dreams made her feelings all the more ridiculous, considering that she was safe inside the walls of the castle and if Mordrid were anywhere, he was certainly too far away to get at her, but she could not shake her feeling of uneasiness. 

            When the dinner had ended, Keelin was once again eager to escape to the tranquility of the forest, but Alinda stopped her.

            "Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Alinda asked Keelin.

            For some reason, Keelin did not feel inclined to tell her friend about her ramblings through the forest.  It was almost as if she feared that telling another soul of them would somehow ruin the preciousness of what she had shared with the prince within its green embrace.  

            "I was merely off to our chamber," Keelin lied.

            "I thought you were about to disappear for hours, as you often do," Alinda said, taking Keelin by the arm and asking her in a light manner, "Where is it that you go when you disappear?"

            "I hardly know myself," Keelin replied, vaguely.  "I seem to wander every last corridor in the castle.  The exercise helps me to free myself from my thoughts, at least for a time."

            "You may always talk to me if you wish to free yourself from your thoughts.  'Tis very likely that they plague you as they do because you do not share them with anyone."

            Keelin wished that Alinda would not be so persistent.  As kind as her offer was, it only made Keelin increasingly uncomfortable as Alinda pursued the issue.  

            "Nay, I would not share them with anyone for the world," Keelin said.  "They are most idle and not even worth speaking of, even to such a friend as you."

            "I must venture to guess that I should not think so if you were to reveal them to me.  Still, I can force no confidence with you and if you truly feel that it would not be of aide to you to speak of your thoughts with me, then you should keep them to yourself."

            "And that is just what I shall do," Keelin said, ending the conversation at that point.  "How is it that you spend your days?"

            "I am nearly always in the company of the other women.  We try to find whatever scrap of work we may.  I do not think it well for us to fall into idleness while Their Majesties' are away.  Undoubtedly they will return and then there will be much work for us once again, as the castle returns to its normal routine of balls and wars."

            "You may be right," Keelin said, with a sigh.  She felt her conscience twinge at Alinda's words.  She had not set foot in the sewing chamber once during the course of the past few days.  She certainly did not want to grow lazy.  "I had best join you all on the morrow.  I have been very lax in my duties, I am afraid.  I am grown very idle indeed."

            "Aye, I think it well that you intend to join us.  You would not want to lose your skill with the needle for then what would you do for yourself?"

            Keelin glanced at her friend out of the corner of her eye, wondering if there was something behind Alinda's remark, if there was an implication of Keelin's wishing to marry the prince.  Alinda's face was perfectly blank and tranquil, however, and Keelin was once again angry with herself for being so paranoid.  

            "I hardly know," Keelin replied.  "I can only say that I certainly would not wish to rejoin the kitchen staff.  I am certain that if they ever saw me again they would put me in the cauldron and boil me for dinner."

            Alinda made a horrible face at the remark.  "Pray, Keelin, do not say such things.  What an unappetizing thought!"

            "And I suppose that you can only be disturbed at my remark because of the prospect of such an unappetizing meal, not because you are disturbed at the possibility of my being boiled alive by the kitchen servants," Keelin said, unable to resist teasing her friend.

            "I work very hard indeed!" Alinda exclaimed.  "I deserve the comfort of a good meal at the end of the day."

            "I thank you for your great friendship," Keelin said, with mock solemnity.

            The two women smiled at one another and Keelin felt a great sense of relief in the easing of the tension between them and at the easing of the tension in her in general.  It felt good to smile.  In fact, it felt so good that she began to think that perhaps all of her fears had been idle.  How was she to know that things would not go completely smoothly in Germany?  Perhaps only good would come of this meeting.  In fact, Keelin now found herself determined to fix on this more positive frame of mind.  All would be well, she was now certain of it.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: **This is just pure fantasy.  Although I have visited some German castles, I know little about the areas in which each are located.  My story is not meant to represent a true Europe, but a fictionalized Europe of my imagining.

**Chapter 22**

Rhain could not feel a very great sense of relief when the ship landed safely on German soil.  He knew that the worst tension was yet to come but was still glad to have done with the sea, even only temporarily.  He had been troubled by seasickness throughout the whole of the journey and he certainly did not enjoy the boisterous songs and ribald jokes of the sailors each evening.  The prince had spent most of his time hiding in his cabin so that he would not be forced to take part in any such unwelcome party.  He certainly did not envy the life of a sailor in any respect.  The sea was pretty enough to look at, but the prince did not really desire being any closer to it than was absolutely necessary, let alone spending most his life in sailing around on it.

            "I am as glad as I can be to see land again, considering the circumstances," the prince told his friend as the two men walked off the ship and onto the dock, where they were to wait for their horses.

            "As am I, although I heartily wish it were English land rather than German," Edwyn replied.

            "I think you would have trouble finding any man who does not feel as you do," Rhain told him.

            The prince cursed the folly of the German king as he waited for the rest of the party to assemble themselves on the dock.  As much as he loved the forest, Rhain found himself vastly irritated with the German king for loving it as well.  Rather than the castle laying near the docks and on the edge of the forest, as it did in England, it was some distance from the docks and directly in the middle of the forest.  The docks themselves stood in the midst of a clearing, the castle in one direction and a long forest road leading to the nearest town in the other.  In order to reach the castle, it was necessary to ride for a short distance on a path that was heavily wooded.  This, of course, presented the greatest danger to their party and for the first time in his life, Rhain dreaded the thought of going into a forest.

            As they disembarked from the ship and began to prepare their party, Rhain was relieved to see a dozen German guards ride up to the dock.  He motioned for Edwyn to join him and the two men met the guards at the end of the dock.

            "We come in the name of His Majesty King Ludwig to welcome you to our land," the head guard said.  His German accent was so thick that they had trouble understanding him.      

            "We express our thanks for the kindness and generosity of His Majesty," Rhain replied.  "I am Prince Rhain of England and this is my most trusted knight, Sir Edwyn."

            At this news, the German guards dismounted and knelt before Rhain.  "'Tis a most high honor to meet Your Highness," the head guard said.

            Rhain waited for the men to rise before he spoke again.  "I am certain that His Majesty King Ludwig can have no doubt that we have had our concerns in journeying here.  We trust ourselves to His Majesty's protection, but fear ambush from the king of France.  We are concerned that the path to His Majesty's castle lies through the forest.  We should be very grateful for your assistance if you would agree to ride with us into the forest to search for any hidden assassins."

            "It would be our pleasure, Your Highness and Sir Knight.  His Majesty is most concerned about the state of your affairs with France and has instructed us to do whatever necessary to ensure the comfort and protection of Your Majesties."

            Rhain nodded, pleased with this information.  His goodwill toward the German king increased most readily.  "His Majesty King Arthur and I shall express our thanks to His Majesty King Ludwig once we reach the castle.  Pray, wait for me for a moment while I tell His Majesty of our plan."

            The German guards nodded, mounting their horses once again as Rhain and Edwyn turned around and began to walk back to their ship.  "This gesture from the German king is most welcome," Rhain told his friend.  "I had my apprehensions about leading my father through the forest, but now you and I may ride ahead with the German guards to search the forest and ensure that all is safe while my father's carriage follows behind.  We shall leave the rest of the knights to protect his carriage and I feel that he shall be quite safe."

            "That is the best plan indeed," Edwyn replied.  "I, too, am glad for this gesture from King Ludwig.  It does him a great deal of justice."

            The two men reached the ship just as the king was disembarking.  They bowed before him and then indicated to him that they wished to speak with him privately for a moment.

            "King Ludwig has sent some guards to help ensure your safety, Father.  I propose that Edwyn and I ride ahead with them to make certain that the forest is safe.  Your carriage may follow behind with the rest of your knights surrounding it for protection," Rhain said.

            "This is a gesture of friendship indeed," the king said approvingly.  "Your plan is a solid one.  You have my approval."

            "I shall speak to the men and then we shall be off directly," Rhain replied, bowing quickly at the waist as a sign of respect to his father.  Edwyn bowed as well and the two men moved off toward the other knights.  They held conference with them briefly to explain the plan before taking their horses and moving off toward the end of the dock.  As Rhain adjusted his gauntlets and slid his helmet over his head, he looked back at his father.  The king raised his hand in a brief salute to his son and Rhain saluted his father in return before mounting his horse and riding off with Edwyn and the German guards.

            They reached the forest path quickly and then split off into groups to scour the landscape as best they could.  They checked all of the low-lying areas to ensure that there were no men lying in wait and scanned the trees for archers.  The area looked secure and Rhain began to relax for the first time in days.  His sense of comfort was heightened by the appearance of an additional eight German guards.  It seemed that they had been sent by King Ludwig because he had begun to wonder where the English party was and to have some concerns for their safety.  

            Rhain's comfort was short lived, however, as he soon learned that the kings of Spain and Italy had arrived but, as of yet, they had neither seen nor heard from the French king, whose arrival was to have taken place before that of the English king.  Rhain knew that something was not right and, without another word to the German guards or Edwyn, he turned his horse and began to gallop toward the clearing and his father's carriage.

            As they had been searching the forest, they had heard sounds of the English king's approach at intervals.  Nothing had seemed out of the ordinary and, as Rhain was more concerned about the forest path leading up to the castle, he had not thought to search the forest road leading to the town.  His heart began to race with dread and he felt sick to his stomach.  He pushed his horse faster and faster, forcing the animal to run at its very limits.  He was oblivious to the sounds of Edwyn and the German guards making haste to catch up with him.

            Suddenly, Rhain heard shouts of surprise shortly followed by agonized screams.  He knew the sound well, had heard it may times before while on the battlefield.  It was the screams of dying men.  The recognition of the sound made him dig his heels into the animal's sides with such force that the poor beast gave a short scream of pain.  The prince was nearly frantic with fear and did not even realize that he had hurt his most prized horse.

            Finally, Rhain cleared the edge of the forest, just in time to see a scene that seemed to be straight out of his worst nightmare.  He saw several of his father's knights scattered around the clearing, their bodies pierced by arrows.  Those that were still standing were trying valiantly to fight off the enemy.  The knights' horses were all dead, shot straight out from under them in order to prevent anyone from making a quick escape.  Most horrifying of all, though, was the sight of the king's carriage, which had been overturned.  Rhain saw his father, vulnerable and unarmed, emerge from the door.

            One of the enemy suddenly darted forward, wielding a sword.  He slashed straight through two of the English knights who attempted to stop him and, as Rhain watched in horror, reached the king.  The man threw his head back and laughed, a demonic sound that made Rhain's blood run cold.  The prince was still yards away from the king.  The man raised the sword up, holding it in both hands and pointing it like a giant, hellish dagger, aimed straight over the king's heart.

            "Nay!" a desperate voice shouted, startling Rhain and disconcerting him even more as he realized that the voice belonged to him.

            Before his very eyes, the man plunged the sword down, hitting his target with deadly accuracy.  Rhain felt rage and fear explode within him as the blood of his father spurted forth, spraying the man who had impaled him.  The enemy raised his head and looked in Rhain's direction, laughing at the prince as the blood of the king ran down his face like tears.  Suddenly, Rhain knew who it was.

            "Mordrid!" he screamed.  He could bear it no longer.  He threw himself off his horse, nearly breaking his neck, and tore his sword from its scabbard, rushing forward.  His only thought was off the pleasure he would feel as he ran the cold steel straight through the former earl's body and then watched as the life ran out of Mordrid.

            "Rhain!" Edwyn shouted, but Rhain did not heed him.  He continued rushing toward Mordrid.

            Mordrid pulled his sword violently from the body of the king, causing an even greater spurt of blood to burst forth.  He crouched into an attack position, holding his sword defensively, openly inviting Rhain to a duel to the death.  The prince was so intent on the former earl that he did not notice that the enemy army began to disburse as they caught sight of Edwyn and the German guards rushing toward them.  The sound of hooves thundering on the wooded path behind the Germans signaled that more were following.  Mordrid glanced over at his men before sheathing his sword and laughing once more at the prince, who continued to rush toward him.

            "We shall meet again," Mordrid shouted, his voice truly demonic.  With those words, he rushed off toward the town road with the rest of his men.

            This was no deterrent to the prince, who was in a blind rage.  He continued to chase after Mordrid and would have run into the forest to meet certain death had it not been for Edwyn.  The giant knight jumped off his horse and raced over to the prince, knocking Rhain's sword out of his hand and tackling him.  The bone-crushing landing jarred Rhain, but did not entirely do away with his blinding rage.  He struggled for a brief moment against Edwyn, trying to grab his sword and chase after Mordrid once more, but Edwyn held fast to his friend.

            "You will surely be killed if you chase them!" Edwyn shouted at the prince.  "Not now, Rhain!  I will not bring two bodies back to your mother!  One is enough!  You will have your chance to avenge your father's death but now is not the time!"

            His words penetrated the fog of Rhain's mind and the prince felt all of the rage run out of his body in a rush, nearly making him dizzy.  Edwyn was right.  His mother would suffer enough when they returned; he would not make her suffering worse by getting himself senselessly killed as well.

            "Father," the prince said, his voice breaking.  This time when he pushed Edwyn away, the knight released him.

            Rhain ripped his helmet off his head and threw his gauntlets aside as he ran over to his father's body.  The wound was a massive, gaping hole in the king's body.  There was no doubt that his father was dead.  The king's eyes were glassy and rolled back and the blood had slowed to a mere trickle.  Rhain knelt on the ground and rolled his father's body toward him, embracing it as he would a child, and rocking back and forth as grief overcame him.  He burst into great sobs while the remaining Englishmen knelt nearby and wept at their grief over the death of the king and their failure to prevent that death.  Two of the German guards rode off to the castle to report to their king and the rest surrounded the English party, protecting them as unobtrusively as possible, allowing them to grieve in peace.

            Rhain grieved for a long while, holding his father's body to him the whole time.  His grief did not lessen; but rather began to be overtaken by his rage.  Suddenly, he threw his head back and screamed to the sky, "I _will_ avenge my father's death.  Mordrid, you foul demon!  I will never rest until I have spilled your blood with my own hands!"

            Edwyn rose at last, wiping his tears away as best he could.  He walked to his friend and placed a gentle hand on the prince's shoulder.  "Come, we must bring the body to King Ludwig's castle."

            "Nay," Rhain replied, jerking away from his friend.  "I will take my father's body home now."

            "But Rhain, we have only just arrived.  We cannot be prepared to leave now, we have not the men for the journey and…" 

            "My father's body belongs in England," Rhain said, his voice fierce.  "I must get home and tell my mother.  I will not make her wait and I will not allow her to hear the words from anyone's lips but my own."

            "We shall leave on the morrow, then, but we cannot leave any sooner.  Believe me, Rhain, I would have us leave this instant if I thought we could, but it simply is not possible," the knight gently told his friend.

            The prince made no further protest as his friend rose and began to take charge.  He spoke to what was left of the Englishmen and to the German guards as well.  Everyone was propelled to action except for the prince.  He sat as if in the eye of a storm, cradling his father's body to him, his eyes glassy.  The men began to clean up the mess of the battle and to dress the wounds of those who were injured but not dead.  They were not many.  Most of the men had been killed.  Just as they were trying to decide what they would use as shrouds for the dead, they heard the approach of horses.

            Three royal guards emerged from the forest, followed by King Ludwig himself, a large contingent of other guards bringing up the rear.  As they approached the prince, he stood up, picking his father's body up and holding it.  The German king dismounted, walked up to Rhain, and bowed respectfully before him.  King Ludwig took the hand of the deceased English king and kissed the royal ring respectfully.

            "I pray that His Majesty may rest in eternal peace," the German king said.  His accent was lighter than that of his guards and his voice was kind.  As Rhain looked at him, the king's eyes turned hard.  "The French king is a villain to have dared to commit such an atrocity on my soil.  I beg Your Highness for the privilege to consider him an enemy just as Your Highness does."  The German king rose and met Rhain's eyes.  He spoke some words in German, sending a contingent of his guards thundering off down the town road.

            "I humbly thank Your Majesty," Rhain said, as soon as the noise died down.  His voice was rough, as if he had not used it for some time.  "We are most grateful for your kindness and protection.  I am outraged not only at this crime but also that 'twas committed on the land which Your Majesty so generously offered as the site of what was supposed to be our neutral meeting."

            "I come to offer Your Highness my humble sympathies, but also my aide.  Should you wish to take action against France, send me word and Your Highness will have my army at your disposal.  By declaring himself an enemy of the English, he has also declared himself an enemy of the Germans," the king said.  His voice was very sincere.

            "Your Majesty's friendship is most welcome at this time," Rhain said.

            "I am here to offer you my services.  You have only to ask and I shall obtain anything you need."

            "Many thanks.  I am sorry to impose upon your kindness but we have need of shrouds and caskets for our dead."

            "My servants are at this moment procuring all that you may need," King Ludwig replied.

            The prince did not feel capable of further speech and it was with a sense of dull relief that he witnessed Edwyn stepping forward to discuss further details with the German king.  A carriage appeared and the German king respectfully bid Rhain to ride in it with his father to the castle.

            Once inside the castle, the prince refused to let anyone else touch the body of the king.  He carried his father's body into a chamber provided by the German king, laying the body upon the bed and kissing his father's cold forehead.  He cleaned and arranged his father as best he could, tenderly crossing the king's hands over his chest.

            From that point on, Rhain remembered very few of the details of that night.  He vaguely remembered Edwyn coming to tell him that, though they had searched for hours, the German guards had been unable to find any sign of Mordrid and his men.  The prince heard what his friend had to say but could not attend to his words and Edwyn shortly thereafter left the chamber with a worried expression on his face.

King Ludwig was most kind and accommodating and all the needs of the English men were met.  Edwyn returned to urge his friend to take some rest and to eat but Rhain was fit for nothing other than silently sitting next to the prone form of his father as day gave way to night and night to morning.

            As the morning light began to filter into the room, the prince wrapped his father's body in a shroud.  Once his father was securely wrapped, Rhain placed the king's body in the casket provided by King Ludwig.  He allowed Edwyn and two of the other English knights to help him carry the casket out of the castle and to the carriage that was to convey them to the docks.  Edwyn rode behind in the company of King Ludwig and, in very little time, Rhain was once more at the docks and on the verge of boarding his ship.  

            The Germans had worked through the night to see to the supplying and reloading of the ship and all that remained to be done was for the caskets of the fallen English knights to be brought on board.  The task was carried out with the utmost solemnity and as the Germans turned their attention toward assisting the wounded English knights to board, Rhain at last directed his attention toward King Ludwig.

            "I cannot thank you enough for your kindness, Your Majesty, and only hope that you will not be offended by the hasty manner of my departure," he said.

King Ludwig waved his hand dismissively and regarded Rhain with a grave expression.  "I take no offense and indeed would think it most unusual if you were not anxious to be gone."

            "I must bring the news to my mother the queen," Rhain said simply, nearly overwhelmed with gratitude at the kindness of the German king.

            "You wish to do so just as any good son would, Your Highness.  My men are entirely at your disposal," he said, for he was sending some of his own guards with the English prince so that he might be well guarded during his return trip.

            "I am most humbled by your friendship," Rhain said.  "I shall send you my reassurances when I return to England and I wish to extend an invitation to you to visit me there."

            "I will wait until you send an invitation.  I have no wish to interfere during this time of mourning," the king said.  "I shall leave you now."  With these words, he bowed to Rhain, who inclined his head to him.

            The German king mounted his horse once more and rode off immediately, followed by two thirds of the guards.  The others were to travel back to England with Rhain.  As soon as the king disappeared from sigh, Rhain turned to Edwyn and, with the help of the same English knights, the casket of the fallen English king was carried aboard.

            Once they had shoved off, Edwyn went to his friend with the hope of convincing Rhain to take some rest or some type of sustenance, but this was refused once again.  The prince would not leave the body of his father during the whole of the journey.


	23. Chapter 23

**Nadia/Munchkin: Thanks as always for your feedback.  All I can tell you is that Keelin has some big moments coming up.  To answer your question, most of this story was written some time ago and I'm editing it as I go along but it's not completely finished so I have some work to do on it yet.  On another note, _The Eye of the Beholder is not updated as frequently as this one because I am writing that one as I go._**

**Kookle Wrenford: I'm glad you're enjoying the story.  I really like to crawl into my characters' heads, figure out what they're thinking and feeling so it's very gratifying to know that someone else appreciates that style.  As for the Arthur/Mordrid thing, yes it's intentional.  :)  I first began writing this shortly after seeing "The Mists of Avalon" for the first time.**

**RoyalNovelists: You shall soon see what will happen.  :)**

**Ghoti: It's interesting to know that you liked the king so well, since he was a minor character.  But I try to make all my characters very real with their own feelings, prejudices, and agendas.  After all, that's how people are in real life, right?  As for Alinda, I think it's safe to say that she suspects something.**

**LillyNix: Thank you very, very much for your great compliment!**

**Chapter 23**

            Keelin walked along the battlements of the castle as twilight began to fall.  There was a coldness in the air that spoke of the approaching winter, but she ignored it.  She had felt very unsettled for several days now and found that the cold air was no deterrent to her attempts to calm the disturbed state of her mind.  

            As she passed a guard tower, she caught sight of something in the sky, just over the sea.  She frowned and then squinted, trying to get a better look at the object.  Suddenly, she realized that it was the sail of a ship and felt her heart leap in dread.  At that same moment, a shout went up from the towers.

            "His Majesty's ship is returned!" one of the guards cried.

            Keelin watched the ship approach and could see by the lion on its mainsail that it was, indeed, the king's ship.  She hesitated only a moment longer before hurrying across the battlements and down a long, winding flight of stairs.  She nearly tripped several times as she raced down them in her haste to reach the sewing chamber.  Keelin had left Alinda there about an hour ago when she had gone to seek the solitude of the battlements and Keelin now wished to go spread the news to her friend.  She burst through the chamber door and several of the women, including Alinda, looked up at her inquisitively.

            "Where were you?" Alinda asked.  "I was just about to seek you for we are about to dine."

            Keelin was too impatient to share the news to wait until she recovered her breath and so she gasped, "Nay…there will be no dinner tonight…His Majesty's ship…is returned."

            The women's eyes widened and they all exchanged glances.  "'Tis not possible," said one of them.

            "'Tis true," Keelin gasped.  "I saw it…with my own eyes…I heard the guard call out."

            The women did not speak a single additional word.  They moved as one to the chamber door and hurried out to the balcony overlooking the great hall, where they had once huddled together to watch the prince dance with the princess of Italy.  They reached the balcony just in time to see the queen hurrying forward with her ladies in waiting.  The king's advisors also hurried into the great hall, talking in hushed voices and exchanging worried glances with one another.  In the next several moments, both the balcony and the great hall itself were filled nearly to capacity as the anxious subjects gathered in the hopes of seeing their king once again.

            After what seemed like an eternity to Keelin, the double doors to the great hall flew open and the crowd on the floor of the hall parted, clearing a walkway.  She pressed one hand to her mouth and the other to her heart, feeling weak with fear.  Something was terribly wrong.  She could sense it.  Everyone around her seemed to be just as wretched as she was.  They were all wringing their hands nervously or clasping them together fervently in silent prayer.  As she watched, two men entered the chamber, carrying a casket on their shoulders.  For a moment, Keelin felt a surge of fear so black that it nearly sucked her into its vortex.  It was not until she looked more closely and saw that it was Sir Edwyn and the prince carrying the casket that she realized that it was not her beloved who lay within the wooden box.  Her relief was short-lived, however, as a dreadful realization set in.  She could see that the prince was dressed just as he had been when he had left, but now the surcoat that she had stitched for him was ragged and covered with dark patches of dried blood.  The prince and the knight looked haggard.

            "Nay," Keelin whispered, impotently, as if that word could make what she knew to be true untrue.  

            The queen hurried to her son with a look of fear upon her face, but he shook his head at her, his face stony.  He and Sir Edwyn laid the casket upon the great table, on which Keelin had served him during what seemed like another lifetime.  The prince turned to face his mother, the advisors, and the other members of the nobility that were crowded in the great hall, all anxious to hear what he had to say.

            "Here lays the body of His Majesty, King Arthur of England," Rhain spoke, his voice thundering throughout the hall.  He gestured toward the casket and the queen collapsed, caught by her ladies.

            A commotion ensued while the ladies attended to the queen.  Her son went over and knelt on the floor, cradling his mother against his chest while he chafed her wrists.  When he finally managed to rouse her, she put her arms around his neck and began to sob.  Keelin could see that she was in no condition to continue before the public eye.  Apparently her son felt the same way for he spoke a few low words to her and her ladies and then watched as the ladies led the queen out of the chamber, supporting her as they walked.

            Keelin was crying openly and Alinda took her hand, the two of them standing in stunned silence while they waited for the prince to explain what had happened.  Alinda squeezed Keelin's hand so tightly that Keelin was certain she was bruising it.  The other servant women around them were weeping as well, wiping at their eyes with the edges of their aprons.  

            After a long pause, the prince finally spoke once more.  His voice was shaky and the rage in it was unmistakable.  "The demon Mordrid and his men were laying in wait when we reached the German shore.  I rode ahead with Sir Edwyn and the German guard to ensure that the forest was safe and, while we were securing the forest, Mordrid and his men burst out upon my father and the knights and attacked them in the clearing."

            A gasp went out from the crowd followed by the wailing of a few women.  Keelin heard Mordrid's name spoken in connection with the words "evil" and "demon" several times over.  The prince held up his hand and the crowd quieted.

            "Several men lost their lives trying to protect their king.  Their memory must and will be honored.  I cannot express the depth of my gratitude or my sorrow to their families.  They were the best of men and will be sorely missed.  

"As for the king they so faithfully served, His Majesty will be laid to rest on the morrow, but his death will not be forgotten.  My father was the best king England has ever known and his death is an unimaginable loss.  But I promise you this, I will seek vengeance against the French king and, most especially, against the demon Mordrid.  I will not let the death of your king have been in vain, this I solemnly swear to you.  

"I will now carry my father's body to his chamber so that my mother and I may grieve in private.  The rest of the kingdom may pay their respects on the morrow, during the public funeral for His Majesty."

            Keelin's tears were flowing unchecked.  Selfishly, she hoped that the prince would look up at her, that his eyes would promise her that everything would be all right.  She stared at him, desperately wishing for him to look her way, even if just for an instant, but it was not to be.  She was angry with herself for having such frivolous desires for it was obvious that the prince had much greater concerns.  Still, she could not help but feel a twinge in her heart, knowing that he had returned but that he had not even sought to catch her eye.  She wanted nothing more than to be with him at that moment and it was a bitter pill for her to swallow, to think that he did not want her.

            Sir Edwyn and the prince once again hoisted the casket onto their shoulders and carried it solemnly out of the chamber.  The prince's face looked as though it were carved from granite.  It was perfectly expressionless and he seemed oblivious to the sights and sounds around him.  It grieved Keelin to see that the man who was normally so animated, so alive, now looked as if he were made of nothing more than stone.

            The sound of weeping was heavy in the great hall as the king's casket was carried away.  The crowd parted to allow the knight and the prince passage, but several could not refrain from reaching out and touching the king's casket, crying bitterly as they did so.  Still others bowed low and reached for the hem of the prince's surcoat as he walked by, kissing it in spite of its filthiness.  The sight of so much gore on the surcoat that Keelin had stitched for him sickened her and even more so every time that she realized that the blood on it had flowed out of the king.  

            Keelin suddenly felt faint, as if her whole world had been pulled out from under her.  Prince Rhain had returned safely, but she was terrified that he had been irrevocably altered by his experiences in Germany.  She knew that he must be suffering from a great deal of shock and tried to tell herself that he would be back to his normal self in time, but she worried that he would now be possessed by thoughts of revenge.  In fact, the more she thought about it, the more determined she was to believe that Mordrid would not have killed the prince in Germany, even if he had had the opportunity.  It would give him greater pleasure to slay the king in front of the prince's very eyes and leave the prince untouched.  He would know that it would drive the prince over the edge, bringing about a war, and Keelin was certain that this was exactly what he wanted.  Mordrid had severely damaged the foundation of England and he now waited for the prince to destroy what was left of it.  

            The thought of war with France made Keelin feel very weak.  If the French were to win, who knew what horror would befall them?  She might be safe enough in the English castle while the war was going on, but what would become of her if England should fall?  Mordrid would certainly seek her out and torture and, ultimately, kill her.  She could try to flee, but she was certain that some way, somehow, he would find her.  He would be like a demon stalking her, driving her to an untimely and gruesome death.

            As disturbing as these thoughts were, they were far less disturbing to her than her thoughts of what Mordrid had done and what he might do in the future to her beloved prince.  Once at war, if Prince Rhain should happen to fall into the hands of Mordrid, Keelin was only too certain that his torture and execution would be even more painful and prolonged than hers.  What was more, Keelin knew that the prince's torture had already begun for he would forevermore be tortured by the image of his father slain at the hand of Mordrid.  He would seek his vengeance in war, in the hopes of driving away the demons that now tormented him and in the hope of finding some vindication in the death of Mordrid.  Yet Keelin was certain that his nightmares would not cease once he led his soldiers into war, a war that could be nothing less than inhumanely savage and bloody.

            Her thoughts were overwhelming and she felt herself swaying on her feet.  Before she even knew what had happened, she found herself stretched on the cold stone floor, the other sewing women gathered around her chafing her wrists and slapping her cheeks.  They asked her a great many questions, but her head felt foggy and she could not for the life of her decide how to respond to their questions so she said nothing.  The women exchanged worried glances with one another.

            "Perhaps she fears that she is the cause of all this," one of the sewing women whispered to Alinda.

            "I do not doubt that she does," Alinda answered grimly.  

            "Come, we must get her out of here," another woman said.  "The crowd is so close that she shall never get any air in here."

            Keelin tried to protest, but her vision suddenly receded and she heard a whooshing sound in her ears as the blackness nearly overcame her once more.  She was just barely able to hold onto consciousness enough to feel herself being lifted from the floor and carried out of the great hall.  Her head lolled around and she felt almost as if her consciousness was detached from her own body.

            The servant women carried Keelin to her pallet, where she laid prone, her head filled with a paralyzing nothingness.  They attempted to rouse her with cold water, more chafing, gentle slapping, and some powerful herbs, but to no avail.  At last, she sank into a deep, fretful sleep filled with violent, terrifying nightmares.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 24**

Rhain refused to leave his father's side the entire time that the servants were preparing the body.  Edwyn attempted to pull him away, attempted to persuade his friend to bathe, to sleep, to eat, to do anything, but was uniformly unsuccessful with every try.  Rhain just kept repeating the same two sentences over and over again.

            "I should never have left him in Germany.  I shall not leave him now," he said, his voice flat and dead sounding, causing Edwyn to weep not only for the death of the king but also for the effect it had on his friend.

            Under the prince's watchful eye, the king's physician sewed up the king's wound as best he could.  The body was in bad shape after several days of travel and the servants set up several urns of burning herbs around the chamber, not only as a part of the ritual of attending to the king's body, but also as an attempt to drive out the nearly overpowering stench of decay.  

            It took the servants several hours to prepare the king's body.  They had to wash it carefully for the king's skin was slack and nearly sloughed off as they tried to clean it.  They dressed him in his most splendid robes and slathered on a thick layer of face paint to dispel as much as possible of the bloated, oddly colored look brought about by death and decay.  The prince felt that it was imperative that the king's casket be open at his funeral, so that his people could see for themselves that it was truly the body of their king.  He did not, however, allow his mother into the chamber while the servants were working.  He did not want her to see the terrible state of her husband's body.

            When they were finished, a casket lined in silk and velvet and made of the finest wood with intricate workings was brought in and the king's body was arranged inside.  The servants arranged his crown on his head and then laid his head gently on a velvet pillow.  Lastly, they folded the king's hands over his royal scepter.  The crown and scepter would be removed before the king's body was laid to rest in the royal crypt, but Rhain wanted to preserve as much of his father's dignity and authority as possible.  When they had finally finished, Rhain thanked the servants and praised their work as much as was possible, given his current state of mind.  His expressions were poor and quite lacking, but no one was offended as they could clearly see that the prince was distraught against all reason.

            Finally, the prince sent for his mother.  When she entered, she was already dressed in deep mourning, wearing a black gown and a black headdress with a veil that concealed her face.  She lifted the veil when she entered the chamber and Rhain could see that she looked very ill indeed.  A handkerchief was pressed against her trembling lips so forcefully that it made her face look smashed.  She placed a shaky hand in her son's and he led her to the body.

            The prince stood with his arm around his mother's shoulders protectively as she gazed into the casket.  As soon as she caught sight of her husband's body, she burst into loud sobs, causing her whole body to convulse.  Rhain turned her away from the body and held her in his arms once more.  As her tears flowed, the steel band that had bound his heart for the last few days was torn apart and his tears flowed as freely as hers.

            "My dearest mother, I am so sorry that I did not save him.  I am so sorry that I left him behind.  I did not do my duty to him as a son or a subject and I shall understand if you can never forgive me for it," Rhain sobbed out and he truly felt every word that he spoke.  He was constantly tortured by the belief that if he had not left his father behind, Mordrid would never have had a chance to reach the king.  In fact, Rhain was determined to believe that he could have stopped Mordrid, that he could have slain the man then and there and had done with the whole matter.

            "Oh my son, how can you say such words?  Do not you know that they tear into my already bleeding heart?  To see you suffer as you do is almost worse than knowing your father to be dead.  There is nothing that you could have done to prevent this.  Of that, I am certain.  In fact, my only comfort in this whole affair is that you were not there at the time so that Mordrid could not have taken you from me as well," the queen said, pulling away from her son slightly so that she could look into his eyes.

            The prince was too overwhelmed to speak.  He wept for a few more moments before trying successfully to master his emotions.  He needed to be strong for his mother and for his kingdom.  It was imperative that he get through the coming days with his senses in tact so that he could begin planning his invasion of France.  For that, he would need his head to be as clear as it could possibly be.  In a little while, both he and his mother were calm once again.

            "Rhain, you must go change your clothing.  You must bathe and you must eat and you must get some rest.  Your father would never approve of your conducting yourself in this matter," the queen said, playing her ace.

            "You are right, Mother," the prince admitted, feeling somewhat chagrined.  "He would wish me to conduct myself in a manner befitting his son and heir.  I will leave him now so that I may attend to matters as he would want me to do."

            "You are brave and strong, my son," the queen said, her voice proud and her eyes shining with tears.  "I do not think you know how very proud of you your father was.  I know that he was often out of temper with you, but you do not know the things he said about you when you were not present.  I do not think any father could have been prouder of his son and I know that he would not trust his kingdom to any other than you."

            Rhain drew himself up at these words.  "Then I must prove myself worthy of such approbation," he said solemnly.  

            "Go, my son," his mother said, briefly resting her hand against his cheek.  "I shall stay here and keep vigil over your father.  My ladies will stay here with me, so you need not fear for my welfare, or that of your father.  I shall see you on the morrow."

            "Good night, dear mother," Rhain said, kissing her fondly on the cheek.  "I hope you shall always know how much I love you."

            "I love you very much in return.  I could not have asked for a better son.  Even in this time of sorrow, England is fortunate in that she will have had the best of men for her king, first your father and now you."

            Rhain blanched a little at the mention of his becoming king.  He had, of course, realized that it would happen soon now that his father was gone, but he had tried not to think of it.  It was such an awesome responsibility and his mind was already so occupied by his grief over his father's death and his plans for war and revenge against Mordrid and France.  Still, he knew he could not avoid it and he knew that he must be crowned very soon after his father's funeral so as not to raise the fears of the kingdom.  He had to show his people right away that they had nothing to fear and that their kingdom was in good hands.  The prince fervently prayed that he truly would be able to prevent them from feeling the need to fear anything.  He prayed that he could be as powerful and as munificent a king as his father.

            The prince quitted his father's chamber and returned to his own, sinking into a chair wearily.  He dismissed his servant, telling him that he would call for him shortly.  Rhain simply needed some time to be alone with his thoughts.  He placed his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his hands, his posture speaking of his sense of defeat.  He scrubbed his hands across his face and winced at the roughness of several days' growth of facial hair.  His mouth felt as dry as if it was full of sand and he was certain that he smelled very rank.  His hair was a tangled mess, resting in a mass of clumps against his neck.  

            He stood up from his seat with difficulty, his entire body protesting at the pain in each and every one of his limbs.  Rhain ran a hand over the lion emblazoned across his chest and thought of Keelin.  He had not looked for her today, had been in too much of a fog to think of it, and he now found that the realization brought him a great deal of agony.  No doubt she had observed his entrance and he wondered what had been her reaction.  He now cursed himself for not having looked for her, for he was certain that the sight of her would have brought him a great deal of comfort.

            Rhain thought of what she had said about praying as she stitched his surcoat and felt a little shiver run up his spine.  It seemed that her prayers had indeed woven themselves into the thread of her stitches, that her surcoat had helped spare him from certain death.  He did not know what it all meant, did not know exactly why his life had been spared, but he did feel that there was something more that he was meant to do.  

            The prince knew that the next few days would be busy for him, but he knew that he needed to see Keelin as soon as he possibly could.  He suddenly longed for her so fiercely that it was a pain worse than any other he had suffered as of late.  He wished to feel the comfort of her presence, to see her lovely face again, and to hear her sweet voice speak to him.  The longing increased to ache so forceful that it frightened him.  He busied himself with calling for his servant, hoping to distract himself from thoughts of Keelin for a few seconds.

            Several servants soon entered his chamber, bringing him a tub and warm water to bathe.  He dismissed them again, telling them that he wished to bathe and dress himself and that he would summon them to dispose of the tub and water when he was finished.  The prince sank into the water gratefully, feeling it work on the knots in his neck and back, helping to ease the tension that had held his body taut for a week.  He scrubbed himself vigorously with the strong soap, as if he could somehow scrub away something of what had happened in Germany, but the soap could only cleanse his body and not his mind.  He had to admit that he did feel better physically, though he was still troubled mentally.

            When he had finished bathing, Rhain got out of the tub and dried himself slowly, looking at each limb as he dried it, wondering how it was possible that they were to be the limbs of a king.  He pulled a comb through his hair, working through the tangled mess very slowly.  It took him quite some time and, when he was finally finished, his hair was nearly dry.  He dressed for bed and summoned his servants so that they could clear his chamber of the tub and lay a fire for him.

            Rhain walked over to a window, pushing the tapestry aside and gazing out into the cold night.  The sky was the deepest black, pierced by millions of pinpricks of light.  Even the stars looked cold to him and he shivered involuntarily.  He gazed at them and tried to imagine that his father was now amongst them, but the thought did not bring him as much comfort as he felt it should.

            The prince finally pushed himself away from the window with a sigh.  He walked over to a table upon which his servants had laid a dinner for him, but he did not have much appetite.  He managed to eat a little bread and cheese and to drink most of one mug of ale, but this was only accomplished by reminding himself that he needed to be alert and strong in order to face the challenges that now lay before him.  It was still not persuasion enough for him to eat and he wondered if he should ever again crave food.

            At long last, the tub and food were cleared away from his chamber and the fire laid.  He felt a great deal of relief as the last servant bade him good night and closed the chamber door behind him.  Rhain felt restless, but bone weary and he finally surrendered to his fatigue and got into bed.  He lay on his back with his arms behind his head, and could not deny that it was a very pleasurable sensation indeed to be once more in his bed with its fresh linens and soft feather mattress.  It was not long before he found himself drifting off to sleep.

            He slept but fitfully all night and was roused before dawn by a nightmare of such terrifying violence that it was almost worse than anything that had occurred thus far in reality.  Initially, he dreamt of the scene of his father being slain by Mordrid over and over again but, shortly before dawn, his nightmare took a turn.  He was a prisoner of Mordrid, savagely tortured and then bound to the rack.  This, however, was the least of all the evils of the dream.  As he lay bound to the rack, clinging to what was left of his consciousness, Mordrid had Keelin brought into the chamber, forcing Rhain to watch while he brutally raped, tortured, and then killed her.  The dream was so vivid that Rhain thought it was real and his screams brought his servants scrambling into his chamber.  He dismissed them with a shaky voice.

            When they had gone, he lay trembling in his bed, sweating and clutching a pillow.  With all his body and soul, he ached to have Keelin lying beside him, ached to be able to pull her body to his and hold her tightly, to have the certainty of knowing her to be safe.  He longed to feel the reassuring softness of her body wrapped in his arms as he stroked her hair and whispered soothing words to her, to feel her flesh against his flesh, to feel her body move in response to his.  He ached for the bliss of losing himself inside of her, of uniting himself to her body and soul.  Rhain knew then with sudden clarity that his only comfort would be to have her forever by his side.  His charade could not go on much longer.  His love for her was strong and his need for her so great that nothing short of her permanent presence would ensure him any kind of peace.

            He had to see her and tell her how he felt about her.  He had to find some means of convincing her to have him, of convincing her to consent to be his wife.  Rhain knew not how he would achieve this, but he knew that it must be with the same certainty that he knew he would soon be crowned king and that he would lead his knights into war with France.  All was perfectly clear to him.  He now knew that it was his destiny to witness his father's death and, as a result, to become king and to lead his knights into war to avenge his father's death.  Along with this, he knew it was his destiny to be married to Keelin.  He now understood with perfect comprehension that his love for her would never die, that every passing day would only see it continue to grow and grow.  There could never be any other woman for him.

            The realization was sweet agony to him and he impatiently threw back his covers and leapt from his bed in order to pace the floor.  He ran his hand through his hair over and over again as he tried to decide just how and when he should approach her.  With a great deal of reluctance, he realized that he could not possibly do so until after he had already been crowned king.  He must certainly be crowned the day after his father's funeral, no matter how reluctant he was to take part in a ceremony of such pomp so soon after laying the king to rest.  It must be made clear to the kingdom that he was now their king and that he would take care of them.  He also needed to dispatch messages to Italy and Germany immediately, and to invite them to the castle so that he could court their alliance for this war.

            With a sigh of resignation, Rhain accepted the fact that he could not approach Keelin until the day after the morrow, at the earliest.  As much as he longed to run to her right that moment, it simply could not be done.  And as much as he feared that she would reject him even more vehemently once he became king, he knew it had to be done.  His mind made up, Rhain called for his servants.  The next few days promised to be trying indeed, but there was a blessed ray of hope in the midst of all the sorrow, fear, and confusion.  He was determined that he would soon be betrothed to Keelin, blessing him with the comfort and joy that her presence every single day of his life would bring.  The prince had told her he would come back to her and he had.  He now vowed never to be without her again.


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

The day of the funeral was a day of great sorrow.  It was as if the worst fears of every single inhabitant of the kingdom had been realized and the people showed up en masse to mourn the death of their beloved ruler.  The citizens of London made a pilgrimage to the castle to weep and pray outside of its walls in the hopes of catching a glimpse of their ruler as his casket rode by in the royal hearse.  The people had revered their king as a near god and now felt that they had to see his body to believe that he could possibly have died.  To them, he had once seemed immortal.

            Keelin rose wearily from her pallet after a night that had seemed never ending.  She washed with the other servant women and then dressed in her usual garb.  She took great care to pull her hair carefully back and arrange it in a tight knot before tucking it into her cap.  There were dark circles under her eyes, causing them to look bruised.  Alinda surveyed her with concern.

            "Keelin, are you certain you are well?" Alinda asked for what must have been the thousandth time.

            "I am as well as anyone can be in these times," Keelin replied yet again, her voice very, very weary.  "I only wish now to see His Majesty buried and to pray that His Majesty will rest in eternal peace."

            Alinda took her friend's hand and squeezed it gently.  "Do not fret, Keelin, all will be well in the end.  You shall see."

            "I certainly hope so," Keelin said, with a faint smile at her friend.  "Come now or we shall be late."

            The women would be packed into a balcony in the great cathedral, far from sight of their king, but it was enough that they would be there to hear the mass spoken and to see their king's casket.  It was more than most people in the kingdom would have.  Unless they were members of the nobility or servants of the castle, their chances of finding space inside the cathedral were slim.

            The women quitted the castle and walked to the cathedral, following after the funeral procession.  They were much, much too far back for Keelin to see the prince and the queen and her heart ached.  She wished that there was something she could do to help ease their grief.  Once inside the cathedral, they quickly settled themselves and the service began.  The king's casket was like a tiny dot from Keelin's perspective and she could see nothing of the queen or the prince.  She spent the entire length of the service in earnest prayer for the safety and eternal rest of the king's soul.

            When the service ended, the nobility began their train past the king's casket to view his body.  Keelin knew that it would be hours before she would have her turn and she waited patiently with the other servants, too caught up in her own emotions to share their grief or their conversation.  An eternity seemed to have passed before Keelin was finally able to rise from her seat and make slow progress up the aisle to see the king's body.

            She was not allowed to linger at the casket for more than a few seconds, but those few seconds made a very strong impression on her.  The tears flowed freely down her face as she looked at the king's body, bloated and distorted almost beyond recognition, yet definitely his.  She thought of how kind he had been to her and what a blessing it had been that he had sheltered her within his castle, protecting her from the cruelty of her former master.  It was agonizing to think that she was the cause of his death, yet she could not shake the belief that she was.

            As she moved past the casket, Keelin was surprised to see that the prince and Sir Edwyn were standing off to the side of it, accepting the condolences of the people as they flowed past.  The queen was nowhere to be seen and Keelin could only assume that she was much too overwhelmed to remain with her son.  When it was her turn, Keelin bowed before the prince, her heart full as she lifted the hem of his robes to her lips and kissed it.  She wanted so badly to say something to him, but found that she had no words.  She glanced up at him cautiously, afraid to see anger, bitterness, or revulsion at her presence, for how could she see any less when it was she who had been the cause of the king's death?

            Keelin was surprised when she looked up at the prince.  His eyes were expressive, but held none of the emotions that she had dreaded seeing within them.  Instead, they were fixed steadily upon her with a look that she did not quite understand.  He seemed as unable to speak as she and they both stood dumbly, as if under some sort of spell.  She was suddenly jolted forward by the crowd and one of the other servant women stood before the prince, offering her condolences.  Keelin turned her eyes to Sir Edwyn and saw a look of evaluation in his eyes as he studied her.  They did not speak a word to one another, but Keelin felt as if the knight could read her mind, as if he knew exactly what was in her heart.  

Just before she was forced to move on, Sir Edwyn whispered to her, "Meet me on the battlements tonight after your fellow servants are asleep."

            She was completely astonished, and could do nothing better than nod stupidly at him before she was forced to move on.  She could not, for the life of her, even begin to imagine what the knight wanted from her.

            As soon as she returned to the castle, Keelin fled to the forest, determined to stay there until just before her meeting with the knight was to take place.  Her mind was greatly troubled and she needed to be alone with her thoughts, in a place where no one could find her to bother her.  She alternately sat, walked, cried, and fretted her way through the next several hours.  At nightfall, she made her way back to the castle, exhausted from the weight of many different and conflicting emotions.  She stole her way up to the battlements, concealing herself and waiting for Sir Edwyn's arrival.

            She was dozing in a niche, her back propped against the cold stone, when she finally heard his footsteps.  She scrambled to her feet and gathered her cloak around her, shivering at the cold wind that suddenly blew across the battlements, whistling around the corners and into the nooks and crannies of the stone.  Sir Edwyn caught sight of her, looked around him, and then indicated to her that she should follow him.  They walked for a brief distance before he beckoned her into a small hollow that served as excellent cover.  He had her stand in the corner so that he could block her from view with his large body if anyone happened to pass by them.

            "You do not wish to be seen with me?" Keelin whispered to him, perplexed by his highly secretive manner.

            "I do not wish it to get back to the prince that I met with you.  I do not wish His Highness to have even the slightest suspicion of my concerns about him," the knight replied.

            Keelin's eyes widened in alarm.  "Have you reason to fear for His Highness?  Have you some information that Mordrid is near?"

            "Nay, 'tis not that," the knight reassured her.  "'Tis more that I am troubled because of His Highness's state of mind.  As you undoubtedly know, war with France is imminent.  I came to you to gain as much intelligence of your former master as you are able to provide me.  'Tis of the utmost importance."

            "I do not understand," Keelin said, feeling confused.  "I have already told His Highness all that I believe to be of use."

            "Aye, I know, but I now fear that in his quest for vengeance, His Highness conceals information from me.  I fear that he is so possessed by thoughts of that vengeance that he may act in a foolish manner.  He is determined that he and he alone will bring about the death of Mordrid."

            Keelin felt the icy fingers of fear race up her spine.  "You believe this to be true?"

            "Aye.  I sought your information so that I may do all I can to ensure His Highness's safety."

            "I shall offer you whatever I may," Keelin vowed.

            "I heartily thank you, maiden.  England has already lost one king and I do not wish to see her suffer the loss of another."

            "What do you mean?" Keelin asked, confused once more.

            The knight studied her with a strange look on his face.  "Have you not heard that His Highness is to be crowned king on the morrow?  The news was announced in the great hall this evening.  All servants were gathered in the balcony to hear it."

            Keelin suddenly felt as if all her hopes and dreams were slipping away from her, like sand trickling through her fingers.  She had, of course, known that the prince would eventually become the king but had never really allowed herself to think of the event as taking place anytime soon.  She had feared doing so for she knew that once he was crowned, he would be lost to her forever.

            "Nay," she replied faintly.  "I fled to the forest as soon as I returned to the castle and only reentered the castle to meet with you."

            The knight looked at her with something that seemed to be akin to sympathy, confusing Keelin even more.  "'Tis sudden, but His Highness feels it necessary to the security of his kingdom."

            Keelin wondered why the knight felt obliged to explain such a thing to her.  It was not as if her thoughts on the occasion mattered.  The prince must always do as he saw fit and it was none of her affair to judge him.  She realized that she had been silent too long and that she had better make him a reply.

            "That is most wise," she said, lamely.  

            An awkward moment passed as the knight studied her with compassion before beginning his inquiry.  "I need to know, do you believe that Mordrid will come after His Highness through trickery or will he meet His Highness on the battlefield as a man of honor would?"

            "He will use any form of trickery in his power," Keelin answered instantly.  "He is a man completely without honor.  He shall use whatever means he thinks most expedient to reach His Highness."

            A worried look crossed over the knight's face.  "Have you any idea how he will strike?"

            "I cannot tell you exactly how he shall do so.  I can only tell you that he will try to strike at His Highness by attacking whatever he believes His Highness to hold most dear."

            The knight's eyes widened at this information and he appeared to be increasingly worried.  "You do not believe that he will attack His Highness directly, then?"

            "Oh, aye, but only once he has succeeded in attacking His Highness in every indirect fashion possible.  He will devise some way of luring His Highness into his clutches.  I believe that he will use something as bait, something he knows that His Highness cannot bear to do without, and then he will have His Highness within his grasp."

            The knight ran his hand through his hair in an agitated fashion.  "How will Mordrid go about this?"

            "I do not know.  Perhaps he will attempt an attack on the queen, on the castle, even on you.  He knows how important His Highness's mother, kingdom, and best friend are to him.  I cannot say exactly what pawn he will choose, but I can say that he will stop at nothing, that whatever he does will be done in such a manner that it will astonish.  He is extremely cunning and resourceful and always strikes when least expected."

            "That is not a very consoling thought," the knight murmured, almost to himself.  Suddenly, he changed the topic.  "Do you fear that Mordrid will come after you?"

            "Not only do I fear it, I know it," Keelin said, resignation evident in her voice.  "I was the start of this and he shall end it with me.  I know he will not rest until he has done with me.  His thirst for revenge will not be slaked until he has hunted me down and killed me."

            A horrified look spread over the knight's face and he shuddered as he looked at her.  "What is to be done?"

            "You must act swiftly; you must disarm Mordrid before he reaches England.  If he finds his way into England, all will certainly be lost.  Waste no time and take as many friends into battle with you as you can.  You will need them."

            "I cannot tell you how valuable this information has been to me," the knight said.  "I will help His Highness to move as quickly as possible and I shall not allow His Highness to leave my sight even for a moment."

            "You are a good friend to His Highness," Keelin replied, her heart full of gratitude toward this man, this man who would give his life to protect the life of her beloved.  "I believe that, with your help, His Highness can defeat Mordrid.  I pray you, keep your eyes and ears open at all times."

            "You have my word that I will," the knight vowed.  "You also have my word that I shall see you guarded safely within the castle so that Mordrid will not be able to get to you.  I honor you as a most loyal, brave, and faithful maiden and offer you my friendship and esteem, if you see fit to accept it."

            "You assign me more merit than I deserve," Keelin said, overcome with gratitude for the knight once again.  "And I do not care what becomes of me.  My only wish is for you to do all that you can to ensure the safety of His Highness.  The future of this kingdom lies within His Highness's hands and I am but a small sacrifice."

            "His Highness and I shall see to it that we sacrifice nothing," the knight said in a fierce voice.  "I must leave you now, maiden, but if ever you need my services, you have only to ask."  Sir Edwyn took her hand and lowered his head to it, kissing it gently.

            "I cannot express the depth of my gratitude to you," Keelin told him, feeling tears forming in her eyes.  "You have done me a most high honor and I shall not impose upon you any longer.  May God bless you in your journey."

            "May God bless you as well," the knight said, releasing her hand from his grasp.  He turned and began to walk away from her, but stopped for a few brief seconds to study her before continuing on his way.

            Keelin was left to wonder at the honor that the knight had bestowed upon her.  The offer of his friendship was second only to the offer of the prince's friendship.  Keelin was filled with a great sense of wonder and thankfulness at the many blessings that had been heaped upon her.  To be offered the friendship of the man who was such a faithful, loyal friend to the man she loved was wondrous indeed.  Keelin could only hope that the information she had offered him would be of some use to him, for she felt that she could never possibly hope to repay him for the honor he had done her.


	26. Chapter 26

**Bil: **Thanks for your comments.  I hope you'll find the next few chapters VERY interesting!

**Nadia/Munchkin: **Good question, but don't forget that Keelin and Rhain had several meetings about Mordrid.  She hasn't shared anything with Edwyn that she hasn't already shared with Rhain.  As for Keelin's comments…well, we'll see.  :)

**RoyalNovelists:** I'm not sure how long it will be because it's not finished yet.  It's pretty lengthy already so I'm glad that hasn't deterred you and that you, in fact, see it as a plus!

**MissyBabe and June Bug: **Thanks to you both!  Hope these chapters will make up for the wait.

**rp: **Where are you off to for 2 years PC-less?  Wherever it is, good luck to you!  I'll try my best to wrap the story up before you go.

**Chapter 26**

            Rhain rose reluctantly from his bed the next morning.  He felt as if an incredible weight were resting on his shoulders, pushing him into the ground.  He could not believe that he was waking up as the prince of England for the last time, that when he awoke the following morning, he would be king.  It was an overwhelming realization.  

            He walked over to one of his windows, pushing back the tapestry and gazing out.  A frost had fallen during the night, causing the landscape to be dusted with white, a brilliant white that sparkled in the morning sunlight.  Rhain thought of his father as he gazed out at the day and wondered what the king thought of his son now.  He found that, for the first time in his life, he was afraid of truly disappointing his father.  

            "Father, I know that I can never be half the king that you were, but be with me now.  Give me the strength, compassion, and wisdom that I need to be a fair and honest ruler to my people," Rhain said, softly.  As he spoke, he felt a lightening of the weight on his shoulders, as if his father were truly there to help carry him through the day.  "I love you, Father," Rhain said, tears rolling down his cheeks.

            The prince heard his chamber door opening and he brushed his tears aside, squaring his shoulders.  He turned around, expecting to see one of his servants, and was instead surprised to catch sight of his mother.  She was clad in a simple dressing gown, her hair flowing over her shoulders and tumbling down her back.  She looked so young, yet so old, her face lined with grief and worry.  However, when she caught sight of her son, she smiled at him, making her look years younger and quite beautiful.

            "Long have I thought of this day, even if I never did imagine it happening quite as it has," she said softly.  He could see the pride in her teary eyes.  

            "I never imagined it this way either," Rhain said with a sigh.

            "I know you think it your fault that your father was taken from us, but I know that you did all you could to protect him.  We are all born to die and 'twas your father's time.  There is nothing you could have done to prevent it.  Things were meant to be this way," the queen said.  Rhain was surprised by her composure.

            "I cannot so easily believe that," he replied, turning away from her and toward the window once again.

            "You cannot believe it because there is too much comfort in the thought and you do not feel yourself worthy of such comfort at this time," his mother said.  Rhain had always known that she was wise, but he was surprised at her penetration.  It was as if she could feel everything he was feeling.

            "How can I feel that I deserve comfort?  I watched my father slain before my eyes and now I am to take his place.  What comfort is there in that thought?"  He turned back to his mother, his agitation clearly written on his face.

            "Come, there is something I must show you," his mother said, holding her hand out to him.

The prince took her hand and followed her from his chamber into that of his father.  The chamber was eerily quiet and felt strangely empty.  Rhain realized with a start that his father had always had such a presence that it was strongly felt wherever he had been, even when he was no longer there.  It seemed that the spiritual presence had been extinguished along with his father's earthly presence.  

The queen stopped at the far end of the chamber, but held onto her son's hand.  She reached forward and opened the door of the king's massive, elaborately carved wardrobe.  Rhain saw something white hanging inside and became increasingly perplexed.  He looked at his mother and she indicated to him to take a closer look.  The prince stepped forward and reached out to touch the garment.  He soon found that it was a complete raiment, made up of a cape, flowing robes, and trunk hose.  It was made of the richest satin and velvet, the cape liberally trimmed with the finest ermine.  

"What is it?" Rhain asked.

"As you know, your father and I were married while he was still a prince.  He was the second in line to the throne, never meant to become king himself.  Our marriage helped seal an alliance between my father's region of the kingdom and that of your grandfather.  Your grandfather and uncle went crusading only about a year after your father and I were married.  Arthur was always bitter about having been left behind and those two years were some of the hardest of our lives.  At last, we received horrible news.  Your grandfather and uncle had been killed in the crusades, along with nearly all of their men.  The kingdom was in a shambles and your father was to become its king, something he had never dreamed would occur.  He was wracked with guilt, thinking that he had been the one meant to go crusading with his father, that he should have been the one killed.  He felt that the throne belonged to his brother and that 'twas his fault his brother was not alive to claim it.  Your father also did not feel that he was fit for the responsibility of being king and put off his coronation for as long as he could, claiming that he wanted to wait until a respectable period after his father was laid to rest.  I knew that he was merely stalling for time.

"Then, one morning, he awoke and was quite a changed man.  When I asked him what the matter was, he told me that his father had come to him in a dream.  The former king had told his son that it had been his destiny to ascend to the throne all along.  The king loved both of his sons, but in the dream he told your father that he chose to take your uncle along rather than your father because he had always known that your father was the one who was destined to someday become king.  Your father and I were crowned the very next day.  He understood that, no matter how painful the occurrences in his life over the course of the last few weeks had been, 'twas his destiny to be king.  His father's and brother's deaths were tragic, but meant to be.  And your father found much peace in that realization."

            Rhain stared at his mother in amazement.  He had of course, known the history of his father, but never in such detail.  He was thunderstruck.  It was unbelievable that his father had felt the same reluctance to take the throne that he now felt, that his father had felt the same overwhelming sense of responsibility that Rhain now felt.

            "I still do not understand.  What is the meaning of this garment?" Rhain asked, after a silence of several minutes.  He could hardly speak the words.

            "The day of the coronation, I wore a gown of pure white and your father wore white from head to toe," the queen said, her gaze meeting that of her son steadily.

            "Is this…" Rhain could not even bear to ask the question, but his mother spared him the pain.

            "That is not the raiment that your father wore.  'Tis the one that he had made for you."

            "Made for me?" Rhain asked incredulously.

            "Before you left for Germany, your father had a premonition of his death.  He told me that he would not return, but that you would.  He said that this was right, that his time had come to an end and 'twas now your time to be king."  Tears rolled down the face of the queen as she spoke.  "While you were preparing for the journey, he had this made for you.  He asked me to tell you that no father could be prouder of his son and that he knew you would make a fine king for your kingdom, a better king even than he had ever been."

            Rhain felt rooted to the spot as a thousand different emotions raced through him all at once.  After all the years of misunderstanding, Rhain suddenly understood his father.  It was awesome indeed for him to realize that the king had been almost exactly the same sort of man that his son now was.  The prince now understood why he and his father had so often come to blows.  All along, the king had been trying to spare his son from the painful anguish of indecision from which he had once suffered.  Rhain now knew that his father truly loved him and that his father had taken great pride in him.

            "Oh, mother," Rhain whispered and he took her in his arms as his tears spilled over.  They cried together for a time before she finally pulled away from him and smiled at him tenderly, caressing his cheek.

            "No son could have ever been more loved than you, by both of his parents.  I, too, am proud of you and I know that you will be the best of kings.  Now do you understand that this was meant to be?"

            Rhain nodded, too overcome to speak.  He embraced his mother once more and then kissed her fondly on the cheek.

            "I love you, Mother," he said.

            "I love you too," she answered, kissing him back.  "Return to your chamber and prepare for your coronation.  I will call the servants to bring your garments to you."

            "Thank you, Mother.  I cannot express to you how much I needed to hear what you have just said to me.  I believe that I may now accept my father's death and move forward with my life.  I only hope that I may truly be half the king that he was.  My only wish is that he was here to see this."

            "He is," his mother replied, with a glorious smile.  "He is all around us and always will be."

            Rhain embraced his mother once more before leaving his father's chamber and returning to his own.  The prince felt a renewed sense of purpose, as if he now understood his mission in life.  He would always grieve for the loss of his father, but he would now accept it and he would free himself from the responsibility of it.  His mother was right; he had done all he could to protect his father.  He could not possibly have known what was going to happen.  King Arthur had known that his time had passed and now Rhain, too, knew it.  He would still avenge his father's death, but he knew that he did it not merely out of bitterness or a need for revenge, but also out of the necessity of ensuring the peace and safety of his people.  He did not like the thought of war, but it was his hope that this war would prevent the necessity of any future wars.  It was his hope that the end of this war would finally bring peace and prosperity to his land.  He now knew that it was his turn to be king, that it was his duty to bring about peace and prosperity for the kingdom.  King Arthur was gone, but not forgotten.  As long as Rhain kept his father's memory alive, as long as he strove to attain the qualities of a good king that his father had possessed in abundance, his father would live on.  Not even Mordrid could do anything to destroy that.


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27**

            Keelin pinned her hair up listlessly, her arms moving slowly, languidly.  Her face was very pale, serving to reinforce Alinda's concerns that she was ill, especially since Keelin did nothing to attempt to disprove Alinda's assertions of her being ill.  Keelin simply did not have the energy to deny her friend.  She was ill, although ill with a sickness of the heart and mind and not a sickness of the body, as Alinda suspected.

            She knew it was selfish of her to have such feelings, but she found that she could not help herself.  She had meant what she said to Sir Edwyn, for she did feel that her life was but a small sacrifice to be made for the good of the kingdom, but that knowledge did nothing to dispel the pain that she was feeling.  That the prince was now lost to her forever she knew to be just, knew to be right.  If she had it in her power to change her situation, she would not do so.  She would far rather lose him than see the kingdom collapse around her.  She would far rather lose him than do anything that would bring him pain.  Still, she felt she no longer had any purpose.  She had served her king, her prince, and her prince's friend and now felt that there was nothing left for her.  She had no one to blame but herself for her foolish notions about the prince. 

            It was as if she were now living in a dream.  The events around her seemed surreal.  Her mind was in a perpetual haze and she could not seem to understand anything that anyone said to her.  She knew not how she managed to ready herself, knew not how she arrived at the cathedral, yet she was suddenly there, watching the prince as he made his procession up the aisle.  He was much too far away for her to see his face and, with a painful twinge in her heart, she watched him walk slowly up the aisle, her eyes following the tail of his rich velvet, satin, and ermine cape as it slid along the red velvet carpet and trailed him up to the altar.  She moved her lips mechanically, reciting prayers in Latin with the rest of those present.

            The ceremony seemed much, much too short to her.  It seemed that the crown of England was being placed upon his head no more than seconds after he had made his procession up to the altar.  It seemed no more than a heartbeat between the time that he had first entered the cathedral and when the royal scepter was laid in his hands.  As he rose and was presented as king, she felt herself sway and was suddenly terrified that she would collapse right there in front of everyone.  She forced her legs to remain steady as the new king made his way out of the cathedral and to his carriage.  She felt a searing pain in her heart as she caught a distant glimpse of him in all his splendor, his crown on his head and his scepter in his hands.

            It was to her enormous relief when the crowd finally began to surge out of the cathedral.  She burst away from them as soon as she could and fled straight for the forest, her tears blinding her.  She ran into several others in the crowd as she fled, but she was heedless of their shouts of surprise and annoyance.  Her only thought was to break free, to go where she could finally, blessedly, be alone.

            Once in the forest, she ran straight to the clearing that had been the site of her first forest meeting with the prince.  She sat down upon a fallen log and cried as if her heart would break, her heart-wrenching sobs startling the birds and animals and sending them fleeing.  She cried herself to the point of exhaustion, deciding to lay down there and sleep forever when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps.  Keelin was too tired to rise, too tired to even attempt to conceal the signs of her grief and she found that she did not even care any longer.  

            Her shock was so great when she saw that it was the king who approached her that she felt all the blood drain from her face.  He was dressed just as he had been for the coronation ceremony, minus the long cape and scepter.  She could do nothing more than think dumbly that he must have left them behind because he feared they would hamper his progress through the forest.  He still wore the crown on his head and the ceremonial sword at his side.  He looked so handsome, so regal that she was struck dumb.  

Almost against her will, her gaze moved from his spotless white raiment to his face.  She was surprised and perplexed by what she saw there.  His emotions seemed to be nearly as turbulent as her own and she watched as the expressions on his face changed from surprise to relief to nervousness.

            "Your-Your Majesty," Keelin stuttered clumsily, pulling herself up from the tree limb and nearly flinging herself into a bow at his feet.  "I pray Your Majesty, forgive me.  I-I did not expect Your Majesty to…I-I did not know Your Majesty intended…"  She gave up trying to speak and merely kept her face pointed toward the ground, hoping he would hurry on past her.

            "I-I came here on purpose," the king replied and Keelin was surprised to realize that his voice was just as shaky as hers.

            She nearly leapt to her feet.  "Of course, I shall leave Your Majesty alone."  She turned to flee but he caught her elbow, stopping her.

            Keelin's heart raced in her chest as she turned to face him once more.  He studied her with an intense, anguished look on his face.  He caught her hands and pulled them up into his view, a look of devastation on his face.

            "Have you rid yourself of the ring I gave you?" he asked her.

            She was dumbfounded by the question.  It did not make sense.  The feel of her hands in his was nearly making her mad.  She had craved his touch so often that it had become something of a permanent ache.  To feel it now was like sweet torture.  She pulled her hands from his hastily and extracted the ring from her gown, pulling the cord over her head and holding it out to him.

            "Nay, Your Majesty.  I have it here.  I-I concealed it so that I would not be questioned about it.  I did not wish to embarrass Your Majesty.  It belongs to Your Majesty and I wish to return it now."

            "Do you think I ask for it back?" he asked her, pain evident on his face.

            "Your Majesty cannot wish me to keep it any longer," she said, nearly sobbing the words out.  She felt pure, physical pain at the thought of losing the precious object.

            "I certainly do not wish to have it back unless it repulses you."

            "Oh, nay, Your Majesty.  How could it repulse me?  How could it be anything less than…"  Her voice trailed off and she felt an increasing sense of alarm.  She had nearly done the unthinkable; she had nearly confessed her feelings to him.

            "Keelin, I pray you, do not address me in that manner.  I know you mean it as a sign of respect but such words coming from your lips torment me," the king said, continuing to ignore to proffered ring.

            "But how else shall I…" she began to ask, but he did not give her a chance to finish.

            "I wish for you to address me by my name, to call me Rhain."

            "Never," Keelin said in a horrified voice.  She took a step back.  "I cannot even imagine myself equal to such a liberty."

            "Then know yourself to be superior to it," he said, his voice sounding both tender and fearful at the same time.

            "I do not understand," Keelin said, her panic rising.  "I pray Your Majesty, take the ring."

            To her astonishment, he did as she told him, but instead of keeping it for himself, he untied the cord and tossed it aside.  He then picked up her trembling right hand and slid the ring onto her finger.

            "I will never take it.  You may wish to have nothing more to do with me, but I will never accept that ring.  'Twas meant for you and you alone.  If you truly do not wish to keep it, you may dispose of it as you see fit, but I could not bear for you to return it.  I cannot tell you how much that would pain me."

            Keelin's relief at his refusal to take the ring back was only second to her distress at the refusal.  She could not bear it any longer.  She pulled her hand from his, turned her back to him, and wept, burying her face in his hands.

            A moment passed, the only sound that of her weeping, and then she tore her hands from her face and tilted her head back, shouting to the sky in a voice filled with anguish, "I am a fool!"  She buried her face in her hands once more, her body wracked by sobs.  

            "Why are you a fool?" the king asked, his voice exquisitely gentle.  He placed his hands gently on her heaving shoulders.

            She whirled around to face him, unable to keep her secret for another moment.  As soon as she opened her mouth to speak, she was certain she would live to regret her words, but she could not stop herself.  "I am a fool because of what I feel for you," she shouted at him.  She half-hoped that the vehemence and meaning of her words would repulse him and cause him to leave her.

            "Then I am a fool as well," he said, without recoiling from her words at all.  On the contrary, as she stared up at him in amazement, she saw that the expression on his face was equal to her own.

            "Nay.  It cannot be," she said, trying to take a step back from him.  Instead, he pulled her to him and held her tightly in his arms, though she struggled against him with all her might.

            "Oh, Keelin, I love you so much more than words can express.  End my torment and say that you love me as well," he said in a ragged voice.

            Keelin was so shocked by his words that she ceased to struggle against him.  For him to feel what she felt was impossible, she was certain of it.  He could not love her as she loved him, he who was king of England.  How could he feel for an insignificant servant woman as herself?  Even if she were more than a servant, how could he feel for her?  This incredible man, this man that she loved so much that it hurt, this man whom she felt could move heaven and Earth if he tried.  She felt such reverence for him that even if she were a queen of all the world she would not feel herself equal to him.  He was everything that a man should be and more and she did not deserve him.

            "This is wrong," she said, struggling against him once more.  "Your Majesty is the king and I am only a servant!  It cannot be."

            "Nay, you are wrong," he insisted.  "It can be and it is.  I love you more with every breath that I draw.  You are everything in the world to me and I shall never be satisfied with any other woman.  I pray you, Keelin, tell me that you feel the same.  Or if you do not, only say the word and I shall never speak of it again to you.  All I want in this world is your happiness."

            Keelin's tears flowed freely.  Never had she imagined that hearing him speak such words would bring her such pain.  She now knew that it was worse to know that he loved her as she loved him and that she could not have him.  She would rather have loved him as she did for the rest of her life without his returning her feelings.

            "Nay, it cannot be.  I can never be worthy of Your Majesty," she wept.

            "Is that your only argument?  Do you mean to convince me that I should not love you as I do merely because I happened to be born into royalty and you happened to be born into servitude?  Nay, Keelin, nay.  I cannot, will not believe it.  I have come to understand a great many things this day and one thing that I do truly understand is that I would not love you as I do if it were not meant to be."

            "I cannot…" she began, but he cut her off once more.

            "The only way I shall ever leave you is if you tell me that you do not feel as I do."  He paused to look at her for a moment but she was too overcome to speak and so he continued,  "Do you believe that I was meant to be king at this moment?  I did not, but yet here I am.  Everything in this life happens for a reason and I know why you were brought into my life.  You were brought to save me from myself, to show me what it meant to put another entirely before myself.  There is nothing that I would not do for you, Keelin, nothing.  I would give my life for you.  I know that you fear that we cannot overcome the difference in our social standing, but that is nothing to me.  A union between us can serve no other purpose than good.  It can only serve as an example to my kingdom of the power of love and acceptance, of the reality that there is no difference between those of different social classes other than an imaginary title.  If you take away my title, I am a man just like any other man."

            "Your Majesty is not!  Your Majesty is king!" Keelin cried.

            "I pray you, Keelin, hear me.  I mean every word that I say.  I would know if this were wrong, but can such a pure, unselfish, beautiful feeling be wrong?  I want you forever by my side so that I may always benefit from your company.  I want you to be my queen, to be the example for my people.  I can think of no other woman more fitted for the position.  You are everything that a woman should be, everything that I have always dreamed of finding.  I have known many women in my life and not a one is your equal.  You may think that a title somehow makes a person more than what they are, but I can tell you that I know a great many noble women and not a single one has your virtue."

            "I cannot consent to it.  I cannot consent to anything that may hurt Your Majesty.  I would die if I were the cause of any pain, any misfortune to Your Majesty and a union between us could bring Your Majesty nothing but pain and misfortune," she insisted.

            "I have always trusted your judgment and thought you wise, but I know that you are wrong this time.  Your thoughts are based too much on fear and apprehension and not enough on logic.  If you could but calm your fears, you would understand that no harm can come of a union between us, that nothing but good can result from it."

            Keelin wanted so badly to believe what he said.  He was right, she was afraid, but she did not think her fear made her foolish.  She believed that her fear made her wary of allowing such bewitching thoughts to enter her head.  She could not ignore the social order of the world, even if he felt he could.

            "I cannot hope to change the world and as long as the world is as it is, I shall never be able to consent to such a union.  It may be true that Your Majesty and I may be able to overcome the traditions of society and look toward a new future, but that is not true of everyone.  As long as there are those in the kingdom who do not believe it fit for a sewing woman to marry a king, there can be nothing but pain resulting from such a union," she told him.  "And even if Your Majesty were just a man and not a king, I would not be able to consent to it.  I do not deserve Your Majesty."

            The king gently tilted her head back so that she was looking into his eyes.  He caressed her face softly for several moments, calming her and stopping the uncontrollable flood of tears.  He made her feel so safe, so loved, that she wanted nothing more than to sink into his embrace and forget all of her objections.

            After a short while, he began to speak to her again in a very gentle voice.  "I understand your objections and only think more highly of you because of them.  Still, everything must start somewhere, Keelin, and we must be brave enough to become the instruments of change.  Do you not wish to see more equality and union in your kingdom?  That we will face opposition is certain, but when does anything ever happen without opposition?  This is right, Keelin, I know it and I know that if you look deep in your heart you will know it too.  You are the bravest woman I know and I refuse to accept that you do not have enough courage for this.  

"You must tell me the truth now.  If you do not love me, there is no reason to continue thus any further.  I will not force you to try to feel something that you do not.  But if you do love me, then you must trust in my judgment.  You must believe me when I say that I have thought this all over with a very clear head and I know it to be right.  I wish to do many great things for my kingdom, but I cannot do them alone.  I want you by my side; I need you by my side.  Let us make this difference, let us bring about great changes that will benefit all.  Say that you will be my wife, my queen, my everything."

            Keelin was silent for some time.  She thought carefully about what he had said and she began to see the truth in his words.  She would never forgive herself for rejecting him simply because she was too afraid of facing the difficulties that lay ahead.  She thought of how she had felt when he left for Germany and she knew that she could not refuse him.  He would soon leave for war with France and she would not be able to bear his parting knowing that she had refused him and made him unhappy.  For his happiness, for her own happiness, and for her hopes of being useful to the kingdom, she knew that she would accept him.  They would face any adversity together.  His love gave her the strength she needed to face any difficulty and his faith in her was an honor and an inspiration.  

            "What is your answer?" he finally asked, gently.

            "I have never loved any man but you," she told him, her voice a whisper as she spoke the sweet words.  He held her face cupped in his hands and wiped her tears away with his thumbs as they began to flow.  "You are right, 'tis my fear that is holding me back, but if you are to be by my side, I shall fear nothing.  There may be those who oppose us but we will face them together.  I do consent to wed you because I love you and because I wish for nothing more than to be of service to you and to make you happy.  I shall do everything in my power to do both."

            "And I shall do everything in my power to make up for the pain and loneliness you have been forced to feel in the past.  I wish for nothing more than to be of service to you and to make you happy.  I offer you all that I am and all that I have.  I shall always think of you as my equal, as my superior in many ways.  I promise you that I will love you forever."

            His words were so sweet, so wonderful that Keelin felt ecstatic with a joy that was almost painful.  She did not know how she would ever bear such happiness as this.  To know herself beloved of him was to be given the greatest gift in the world.  It was a blessing for which she would never stop giving thanks.

            "I will love you forever as well, my most darling Rhain."

            The look of joy on his face as she spoke his name brought fresh tears to her eyes.  His face, which had been mere inches from hers, lowered until his lips claimed hers with a kiss of such exquisite tenderness that it made Keelin's heart ache.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

Rhain's emotions as he kissed Keelin for the first time were nearly indescribable.  He felt a joy so overpowering that it was almost agony.  The power of his love for her was frightening in its depth and yet he knew no greater peace than he felt in the moment that she consented to be his bride.  Suddenly, his future opened up before him, bright and beautiful.  He could not forget the hardships of war that were soon to come, but he now felt certain of victory.  He had his return to the woman he loved to look forward to; he had the serenity that he found in her arms to call him home.  Rhain was excited at the thought of all that they were and all that they would be together.  He felt inspired by the belief that she would be his life partner, that they would have children together, that they would grow old together.  He felt that, with her by his side, he could truly make something wonderful of his kingdom and bring about changes that would be for the betterment of every man, woman, and child.

            When the kiss ended, Rhain pulled back a little so that he could look into the face of his future bride.  She looked at him shyly through the screen of her eyelashes and he could feel his heart swell as he fell even more deeply in love with her.  He brought her left hand to his lips and kissed it tenderly, holding onto her hand while his free hand reached into a pouch that he was carrying.  He pulled a magnificent diamond ring out of the pouch and slid it onto her finger.  She gasped in surprise and he saw her eyes fill with tears.

            "'Tis so beautiful," she whispered, admiring the ring.

            "'Tis a family heirloom.  'Twas the ring that my grandfather gave to my grandmother in honor of their betrothal," he said, pleased with her reaction.

            "I shall treasure it for always, as a symbol of your love and also because it serves to link me to your family history," she vowed.  "How can I ever begin to thank you for all that you have given me?  I find it hard to believe that I am worthy of such blessings."

            He smiled tenderly at her and caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.  "There is nothing to thank me for, for I believe that I am the one who is not worthy of such blessings."

            "I shall try my hardest to be a good wife to you and a good queen to the people," she said, her voice intense and faltering only slightly as she spoke the word queen.

            He smiled at her once more.  "I have not the slightest doubt that you shall excel at both for you have already done me more good than you know."

            She did not say anything, but reached a hand up to caress his cheek.  Her touch was so warm, so gentle, that it nearly overwhelmed Rhain.  He had longed to feel her touch for so long now, but had never imagined that it could feel as wonderful as it did.  He took her hand and kissed its palm.  The king studied her face, wanting to linger over every last feature until he had every inch of it memorized.

            "You are so beautiful," he said to her, reverence in his voice.

            She blushed furiously and averted her eyes for a moment.  "Nay," she replied.

            "Aye.  I have long thought so.  Every time that I saw you I was again struck by just how beautiful you are.  You are like an angel to me.  I never dreamt that anyone could be as beautiful as you are and now that you are mine, I shall endeavor to remind you so every day."

            Keelin blushed even more deeply.  "You are so kind."

"Then perhaps you will be kind in turn by promising me that you will not wear caps any longer.  You hair is so beautiful and long have I wished to touch it.  I have never seen hair like it."  As he spoke, Rhain reached up and gently freed her of her cap, unwinding her hair slowly from its knot, savoring the feel of the silken mass in his hands.  Finally, it tumbled freely down her back.  He let it fall from his fingers to tumble around her face and shoulders.  She was a vision to him.

"I suppose that is a sacrifice I could agree to make," she told him, with a rather mischievous smile.

            "Sacrifice indeed!" he cried, wrapping his arms tightly about her waist and picking her up so that he could spin her in a circle.  She threw her head back and laughed and the sound was pure joy.  It ceased only when he stopped spinning her so that he could kiss her once more.  There was such passion in the kiss that it made him far dizzier than the spinning had and he wanted nothing more than for the kiss to go on and on forever.

When he at last pulled away from the kiss, they were both breathing in a rather labored manner.  Keelin's deep brown eyes were warm with love and passion and the sunlight caught in the strands of her golden hair.  He could not tear his eyes from her.

"I can scarcely believe this to be real.  I fear that if I say anything more I will awaken and the dream will be over," she whispered to him.

"'Tis not a dream," Rhain said softly, raising her palm to his lips and kissing it gently.  "Did you not feel that?"

"Aye," she replied.  The expression on her face was beautiful, as if that one kiss had made her the happiest woman in the world.  He gathered her close to him and held her tightly in his arms.

"Do you not feel this?"

"Aye," she sighed.  "You have convinced me."

"I am heartily glad of it," he said to her, placing a kiss on her brow.  He looked at her and sighed with regret.  "As much as I wish to remain with you thus all the day long, I must return so that I may spread my news to my dear mother."

"What if Her Majesty does not like it?" Keelin asked.  Her voice wavered slightly.  

"She shall love it," Rhain promised her, caressing her cheek tenderly.  "My mother and I are often of one mind.  She has always understood that I wished to marry for love and has always encouraged me to follow my own heart.  She will understand my reasons for wishing to marry you and I know that she will love you as her own daughter once she knows you."

"I hope you are right.  I hope she will think me worthy of you."

"I have not the slightest fear on that account.  Indeed, I am certain that once she knows you, she will hardly think me worthy of you."

Keelin smiled at him and threw her arms around him, startling him, but not in an unpleasant manner.  Instead, he savored the feeling of her, holding her in his arms tightly, knowing that she wished for this embrace as much as he did.

"You must go now," she said to him after a long moment, pulling back a little so that she could look him in the face.  "You words shall bewitch me if you stay any longer."

"Then perhaps you would be as bewitched as I am," he replied, kissing her gently on the nose, feeling his heart tug as she smiled.  "Will you attend me in my study?"

"What change is this?" Keelin asked in a teasing tone of voice.  "Where once you commanded, now you request!"

Rhain groaned with true chagrin.  "I pray you, do not remind me of those days.  I can scarcely believe that you could feel anything but animosity for me.  I treated you most abominably."

"I meant only to tease you," Keelin said, lightly.  She gave him a short, sweet kiss as if wishing to make amends for her words.  "'Tis not as if I was much kinder to you.  And of course I shall attend you in your study, but I pray you to go to the castle ahead of me.  I do not wish to make an appearance with you until you have spoken with Her Majesty."

Rhain took her hand in his and lowered his face to kiss it.  "I will not be long," he told her.

"I wish you to be gone for as long as it takes.  You must not rush away from your mother soon after delivering such shocking news."

"I promise I shall not," Rhain said.  He leaned down and kissed Keelin briefly, breaking away from her embrace reluctantly.  "I must go now."

"I shall wait for you."

He knew he would never forget that vision of her as he walked away, stopping very frequently to turn and look at her.  She was so lovely, so wonderful as she stood there in her servant's gown, her hair tumbling over her back and shoulders in an unruly mass of curls.  He had never seen her look as happy as she did at that moment.  Her face was glowing and her eyes were shining as she raised an arm to wave farewell to him.  The sun flashed off the gold of her betrothal band and Rhain felt his heartbeat quicken in his chest.  He could not believe that she had actually consented to marry him.

That thought gave him new purpose and he hurried his steps toward the castle.  He could hardly wait to tell his mother of his news, could hardly wait to introduce her to Keelin.  He was certain that they would love one another greatly.  Rhain did not fear his mother's disapproval for he was secure in his knowledge that it was his mother who had taught him to follow his heart, even if its desires were, at times, in contrast to those of his head.  He fervently hoped that his news would bring her some joy at this tense and sorrowful time.  

The king found his mother in her presence chamber.  She was with several of her ladies, who were attempting to amuse her by reading aloud to her or trying to engage her in conversation.  Rhain was concerned to see that she seemed rather listless and inattentive.  When he entered the chamber, the ladies immediately stopped what they were doing and rose to bow to him.  He was relieved to see his mother smile when she turned her head to see what the cause of all the commotion was.  She rose from her seat and walked over to him.  He took her hands in his and kissed her warmly on the cheek.

"How glad I am to see you, my son," she said, softly, her smiling never wavering.

"I am glad to see you as well.  I wish to speak with you."  

It was not necessary to say anything more.  He saw that his mother knew his news was important and she immediately, though politely, sent her ladies away so that they could talk in private.  When they were gone, she moved away from him and seated herself in an ornately carved chair, her face tilted up toward him and her expression one of complete attention.

"I know you, Rhain, and I know you have something very important to tell me.  I hope that 'tis good news."

"I think it the best news in the world and hope that you will agree with me," he told her.  He now felt a little nervous.

"Then I pray you, share it with me," the queen said, smiling at him once more.

Rhain took a deep breath, smiled at his mother, and announced, "I am betrothed."

The queen gasped in shock and rose from her chair.  One of her hands gripped the arm of the chair, as if she could not quite believe what she had just heard.  "Betrothed?  To whom?  When did this happen?  Has it been long?  Have you been planning on getting married for a long time?"  The queen sank back into her chair in shock.

Rhain laughed at all of her questions, holding his hands up to halt her.  He grew serious as he explained the situation to her.  "Aye, I am betrothed.  As you know, I have always intended to marry for love and I have long loved this woman.  I was not planning on a betrothal because I was not certain that she loved me in return and there were—and still are—many obstacles in the way of my marrying her.  'Twas only today that I expressed my feelings to her and found that she returned them.  Her name may not be familiar to you, but I know that her circumstances are and that you shall know who she is immediately once I explain them to you."

"Circumstances?" the queen asked.  She looked perplexed.  "Is she not a member of the court?"

Rhain pulled a chair over to his mother's, seating himself across from her.  "She is not a member of the nobility of any nation.  Her name is Keelin.  She is a former servant of the former earl, the young woman that I rescued from him that night on the river, when the king of Spain was here visiting with his daughter."

"The servant girl?" his mother breathed, surprise clearly visible on her face.  "I was not aware that you had any contact with her after that night."

"Aye, I spent much time with her.  At first, I was concerned about her illness.  Once she was well and was able to work, I began seeing her and questioning her about her former master.  I wished to learn all that I could about him.  She gave me much information and, initially, I thought that each time I wished to see her 'twas only to gather even more information.  When I became aware of my feelings, I tried to separate myself from her, certain that she could not return my feelings.  Even if she did, it did not seem possible that there could ever be anything between us.  

"In spite of my resolution, we seemed brought together by fate for I saw her by chance several times.  After a while, I could no longer deny my feelings for her, nor did I wish to do so.  Mother, she is everything in the world to me.  She is everything that is beautiful, that is kind, that is generous, and that is intelligent in this world.  I have never met another woman who fascinates me as much as she does.  She is everything I have ever wanted in a wife, and more.  I feel privileged just to know her and can scarcely believe that she has consented to marry me.  I feel certain that once you know her, you will love her as well."

His mother did not say anything for several minutes and Rhain could feel his palms begin to sweat.  He knew it was ridiculous, that he was the king and could do anything he wanted.  Still, he loved his mother dearly and truly wished with all his heart for her blessing and consent.  He wanted his mother to love Keelin and to be glad to have her as a daughter.

The queen finally looked at him very seriously and began to speak.  "Rhain, you know that I have always encouraged you to follow your heart and I have always wished you to marry for love.  I knew that you would not be satisfied with just any woman and always hoped that you would find your equal, but I suppose I always thought you would find her amongst the nobility somewhere.  I have no objection to her being lowborn and being a servant, but not everyone in this world feels as I do.  For your own sake, Rhain, I beg you to consider this.  Such a marriage will not be without some very great obstacles indeed.  You are a man and a king and you may do whatever you please, but I ask you to consider the difficulties that will arise if you do marry this girl."

"Believe me, Mother, I have thought long and hard about them and so has Keelin.  In fact, I had to persuade her to marry me because she feared that she would create problems for me if she consented to be my wife.  We are both aware that there are many who will object to this marriage, many that will feel that 'tis improper and even offensive.  We know that 'twill not be easy for us, but we also know that we love one another very greatly.  I am certain that this marriage will be good for the kingdom, that 'twill help unite the people as they have never before been united.  Keelin has given me a new understanding of my people and I feel certain that she will be the people's queen, that she will help those of the peasant class to feel a closer connection to their king and their country."

The queen smiled at her son, tears shining in her eyes.  She took his hand and held it between hers.  "'Tis never easy for a mother to watch her child grow, knowing the trouble that he will face.  I have always wished that I could protect you from every hurt in the world, that I could shield you from all evil.  I have always trusted in your judgment, and this occasion is no exception.  If you love this woman, then I am certain that I shall love her too.  I know 'twill not be easy for the two of you, but I promise you that I will be behind you every step of the way."

"We have your support, then?" Rhain asked eagerly, feeling a surge of joy.  "Do we have your blessing?"

"Aye, my son, you have my support and my blessing.  I wish you nothing but joy and am grateful for the joy that has been brought upon me on this occasion."

Rhain embraced his mother tightly and when he pulled away from her, he could see that she was crying, but knew that they were tears of joy.

"Where is this woman who has so enchanted my son?  Will you bring her to me?" the queen asked.

"Of course I shall.  I shall bring her to you immediately."

"I look forward to seeing her.  I shall attend the both of you here, alone.  I can scarcely wait to meet her."

The queen kissed her son on the cheek fondly.  She gave his hand a gentle squeeze before releasing it.  Before he left the chamber, Rhain glanced over his shoulder at her.  A smile of pure joy was plain on her face.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

Keelin was nervously pacing about Rhain's study when he arrived to bring her to the queen.  She had neatened her hair by pulling it back on the sides and braiding that portion, so that it hung down in a narrow rope amongst the mass of curls that remained loose.  That was not nearly good enough for her.  She felt very anxious about meeting the queen, especially dressed as she was.  She wished she had about two hours to better dress herself and arrange her hair, but that was not to be.

            "You have nothing to fear," Rhain told her with a smile when she revealed her worries to him.

            "You are Her Majesty's son.  What if Her Majesty does not like me?  Her Majesty will not think me worthy of you and I cannot blame Her Majesty," Keelin said, her voice distraught.

            "You will only torture yourself with these fears.  Come with me now and you shall see that my mother is only too prepared to accept you with open arms."

            She nodded, unable to say any more, and was greatly relieved when Rhain gave her a fond little kiss and then tucked her hand into the crook of his arm.  She leaned against him for support, taking a deep breath as his chamber door was opened and they stepped into the corridor.  Several servants stopped what they were doing and stared openly as they passed by.  A knight, passing by in the corridor, stopped to bow to the king and to study the scene before him with confusion.  Rhain merely smiled at them all as if nothing in the world was out of the ordinary.  Keelin could feel her palms sweating and her knees trembling and wondered how she would handle it once Rhain announced their betrothal and presented her before the masses.  The thought made her feel faint.

            They reached the door to the queen's chamber, and Rhain nearly had to remind the servant boy there to open it for them.  The boy stared at Rhain and Keelin in shock, his mouth hanging open as he finally opened the door.  Rhain reached a hand out and patted him on the head as they walked into the queen's chamber.

            The queen was seated in the most magnificent chair Keelin had ever seen, aside from the royal thrones, of course.  It was made of a wood so dark that it was nearly black and was polished to a high shine.  It had a tall back that was elaborately carved with a woodland scene.  She could only imagine its cost.  In fact, as her nervous glance darted around the chamber, she was amazed at the richness of all the furnishings and tapestries.  She had never been around such enormous wealth before in her life.  The home of her former master and mistress did not even come close to the magnificence that now lay before her.  It was a strange, alien land to her and it made her feel afraid.  How could she think she would ever possibly fit in amongst such splendor?

            Keelin curtseyed low before the queen, resting in the position for a significant amount of time, hoping the queen would know how grateful she felt to be in her presence.

            "Come, my child," the queen said.  Her voice sounded kind.  "Rise and come to me."

            Keelin rubbed her palms surreptitiously on the sides of her dress and peeked up at Rhain from the corner of her eye.  He smiled and nodded at her, encouraging her to go forth, before he released her arm from his.  Keelin stepped forward until she was before the queen and then sunk into a bow once more.

            "We shall not stand upon such ceremony here, my dear," the queen said to her.  "I assure you that I am most flattered by your show of respect, but you need not conduct yourself in such a formal manner.  Such shows are not necessary amongst friends and 'tis my hope that you and I shall soon become quite intimate friends."

            "Your Majesty is most kind," Keelin said, taking the queen's hand and kissing the royal ring.  "Forgive me, for I do not feel myself worthy of Your Majesty's presence.  I can scarcely believe that I am here."

            The queen smiled gently at her.  "Pray, sit in that chair that my son has brought over for you.  I wish to speak with you and I wish you to be comfortable.  I wish you to think of this chamber as quite your own.  Indeed, I wish you to think of the castle as your home."

            She sat herself in the chair and folded her hands in her lap, staring down at them.  "That is most kind, Your Majesty."

            "All of this shall soon be yours," the queen said, gesturing to the objects in the chamber.  "You must treat them as your own possessions."

            Keelin could feel herself blushing quite furiously.  "Your Majesty is most kind, but I could never consider such things as belonging to me.  Indeed, I scarcely know what it is to have things, so few of them have I had in my life."  Keelin then blushed even more deeply at her words.  She could not believe that she had spoken them, but she had the nasty habit of sometimes blurting out exactly what was on her mind when she was uncomfortable or nervous.

            The queen regarded her with a look of sympathy.  Keelin glanced over at Rhain, who was standing off to the side unobtrusively, and saw that his eyes were full of compassion.  The depth of his emotions showed clearly on his face and this gave Keelin courage.

            "From this day forth, you shall have all that your heart desires," he said to her.

            She smiled at him.  "I already have all that my heart desires.  I require nothing more," she said, softly.

            Queen Anne smiled at this and her eyes grew misty.  "You do truly love my son, then?" she asked.

            "Love seems too mild a word to express what I feel for Your Majesty's son.  I know that I am not worthy of His Majesty, but I assure Your Majesty that I shall do all that I can to make His Majesty happy, to be the best wife I can possibly be, and a good example for the people of this kingdom," Keelin said.  She was nervous in revealing such emotions to Rhain's mother, but she truly felt them from the bottom of her heart and the strength of her emotions gave her assurance, causing her to speak the words in a confident tone.  

            Keelin saw a tear trail down the queen's face, but the queen quickly brushed it away with her handkerchief.  "And do you feel the same?" she asked her son.

            "I feel all of that and more," he said, his voice soft and warm with love.

            The queen leaned forward and took Keelin's hand in her own, smiling warmly at her.  "Then I think you both most fortunate.  'Tis rare to find such love in this life and 'tis my hope that the two of you will hold onto it and never let it go.  

"I know that this is all strange and quite confusing to you, my dear.  I believe that it would be to most anyone.  I know that 'twas to me when I realized that I was to be married to the king.  But I have confidence that you shall prove to be not only a most fitting wife for my son, but a most fitting ruler for this kingdom."

            "I have no wish to take Your Majesty's place," Keelin said nervously.  "I do not presume to believe myself capable of such an action, but I promise that I shall try my hardest to be a good example to the people and to be deserving of such an office."

            "I know you do not wish to take my place," the queen said.  She smiled at Keelin once more and then, leaning forward, kissed her on the cheek.  "I wish that you would not address me by that title.  I have always longed for a daughter.  I wish that you would call me Anne until your marriage and then I wish that you would call me mother."

            Keelin was nearly overcome with emotion.  She had nearly forgotten what it was to have a mother; it was so long since her own had died.  She remembered the sweetness of her mother's temper, how deeply her mother had loved her and how special it had made her feel.  As she looked into the eyes of the queen, Keelin knew that the queen could never take the place of her own mother, but knew that she had again found a mother in the queen.  She was so overcome with gratitude and joy that she could not help but burst into tears.  She did not know what she had done to deserve so many blessings.

            "I cannot possibly express my gratitude to you," Keelin told the queen.  "You have honored me in more ways than I can number.  I shall always be grateful to you for your kindness and your acceptance of me.  I hope only to better myself by following your example."

            The queen kissed her once again and then offered her a handkerchief to wipe away her tears.  Keelin accepted it and dried her eyes as the queen spoke to her.

            "We shall spend much time together for I so dearly wish to know you.  You shall be a great comfort to me in these months to come," the queen told her.

            "As you shall be to me," Keelin replied.

            The two women stood and embraced and Keelin felt a wonderful sense of acceptance that she had not felt in many years.  She felt as if she had finally found her place in the world, as if she truly belonged there in the castle with the queen and the new king.  She had found what she had been searching for all these years.

            "Now," said the queen briskly.  "Have you thought of a new chamber for Keelin, Rhain?  She will also need ladies and I have three that will be perfect for her."

            "Oh, nay," Keelin protested.  "I do not need a new chamber.  I shall stay with the sewing women as always."

            "My dear, you will soon be queen.  Your feelings do you great credit, but you are now to live a new life.  You must live it in a manner that is fitting," the queen told her gently.

            Keelin was truly distressed once again.  She supposed that, in the back of her mind, she had known that this was to happen.  Indeed, it was only logical.  She could hardly sleep on a pallet in the sewing women's chamber once she was queen.  Now that she was the king's betrothed, her status was elevated and her style of life was to be quite different.  Still, she was not comfortable with the idea, not happy with the thought that she had suddenly been elevated above the level of those with whom she had toiled these past months.

            As if sensing her conflict, Rhain took her hand and looked into her eyes.  "This will not be easy for you.  Will you be well?"

            "Aye, I shall.  'Tis all simply so new to me," she said, her voice a little weak.

            "We shall be here to support you," the queen assured her.

            "I thank you," Keelin said, taking the other woman's hand with her free hand and pressing it.

            "I hope you will forgive me, my darling," Rhain said to her, a look of regret evident on his face.  "I shall announce our betrothal to the knights and nobility tonight and I must write my speech.  I must also dispatch messages to Germany and Italy immediately."

            "The kingdom must always come first," Keelin said to him.  "I shall be fine."

            Rhain's smile was more than enough reward for her words.  "I shall come to escort you to dine."

            "I shall live for that moment," Keelin said, lovingly.  She blushed when she recollected that the queen was in the chamber with them, but the other woman merely glanced away from them as she tried to conceal a smile.  It gladdened Keelin's heart to see that their betrothal brought such joy to the queen.

            Rhain took both of her hands in his and leaned down to kiss her cheek gently.  "Until tonight," he said.

            "Until tonight," Keelin replied.

            Rhain moved toward the chamber door, stopping only once to look at her over his shoulder.  His mother moved forward, pulling Keelin's arm into her own.  Keelin looked at the queen and smiled and then turned to smile at her beloved.  He left the queen's chamber with a broad smile on his face.

            "It does my heart good to see him smile like that," the queen told her after he had left.  "It has been so long since I have seen him truly happy and I know 'tis entirely because of you."

            Keelin ducked her head shyly and blushed.  "I feel most fortunate that 'tis in my power to make him happy," she replied.

            Queen Anne smiled at her once more and tucked Keelin's arm more securely in her own.  "Come, my dear.  I shall show you to your chamber and summon your ladies so that I might present them to you."

            Once again, servants, knights, and nobility alike were agog when they saw Keelin moving through the corridor with another member of the royal family.  Arm in arm with the queen, no less!  Keelin could hear the buzz of their whispered conversations as she and the queen passed, giving her but a small taste of the uproar that was certain to follow Rhain's announcement that night.  She felt increasingly nervous and it seemed that the more anxious she felt, the tighter the queen held onto her, lending her strength.

            Finally, they reached what was to become her chamber.  As she stepped inside, Keelin could not help but gasp.  The chamber was enormous, larger even than that in which all of the sewing women slept.  It had a high-beamed ceiling and a stone floor.  Six large, paned windows graced the wall opposite the door, allowing the weak late afternoon sun to filter into the chamber.  A massive fireplace was set into the wall to the right of the door, an impressive fire already blazing, and an equally massive bed with four posts was set against the left wall.  It was ornately carved out of some rich wood that fairly glowed from polishing.  It was hung with heavy velvet curtains trimmed in brocaded satin in the loveliest shade of sky blue Keelin had ever seen.  A matching vanity stood between two of the windows and Keelin could see that it was fitted with a looking glass, a ewer and basin for washing, and a silver handled brush and comb.  A matching wardrobe, massive in size, lay just to the right of the door.  Several plush animal skins dotted the floor, lending an air of warmth and comfort to the chamber and the air smelled of rosemary and lavender.

            "This is all for me?" Keelin asked.

            "Of course 'tis, my dear," the queen said, smiling at her.  She moved to the chamber door and spoke quietly to the servant lurking there.

            Keelin wandered across the chamber, brushing her hand over the velvet bed hangings and tentatively touching the tapestries that hung pulled back from each window.  She had never seen such a magnificent chamber and could not believe that all of this luxury was for her and her alone.  She felt a strong sense of wonder as she gazed out of one of her windows, which afforded her a breathtaking view of the forest beyond the castle.

            The door of the chamber opened and three young women entered, curtseying to the queen.  They were all quite pretty and dressed in simple yet elegant gowns, certainly nicer than what Keelin was now wearing.  One had waves of raven hair pulled back in an elegant net.  Another had a blaze of fiery curls that were arranged becomingly around her head.  The last was very fair and pale with hair as fine as corn silk that rippled down her back.  

            "Miranda, Catherine, and Diana," the queen said, addressing the three, "I have called you here on a very important assignment, but you must keep this secret until after tonight's feast.  The lady you see before you is to be your new mistress.  She is the maiden Keelin, betrothed of His Majesty, King Rhain."

            The three women turned to study her with bald-faced curiosity and Keelin felt her cheeks blaze.  They all immediately sank into low bows before her, their heads respectfully lowered.

            "My Lady, we wish you joy on this most happy of occasions," the dark one said.

            The queen beckoned to her and Keelin walked over to her.  "The girl who just spoke to you is Catherine.  Miranda is the girl with the red hair and Diana is the fair one.  These three girls are to be your ladies.  Anything you need, anything you desire, you have only to ask them and they will procure it for you."

            "'Tis an honor to serve you, My Lady," Diana said to her.

            Keelin did not know what to say, so she stood mute while the queen gave the three women some further instruction.  They were to supervise as she was bathed, dressed, and her hair was arranged before the feast.  In the meantime, the queen sent one of them to fetch her dressmaker so that Keelin could be measured for some new gowns.  At this, Keelin found her voice and tried to protest, but the queen would have none of it.

            "You are very modest, my dear, but you must have new gowns.  I insist," she said with a smile as Keelin tried to protest once more.  

            "Truly, Your Majesty, I know not how to express my thanks."

            "Anne," the queen corrected her.  "And you have no need to thank me."

            Keelin embraced the woman and then asked, somewhat anxiously, "Shall you remain with me while I am measured or have you more pressing business to attend to?"

            The queen touched Keelin's cheek with a fond expression on her face.  "I shall stay if you wish me to do so."

            "Oh, pray do, for I know not what I am about and I would most dearly value your advice," Keelin said to her.

            "Then I shall stay," the queen said.

            Keelin was grateful for the presence of the queen throughout the day.  Everything that happened to her was so strange, so bewildering, that she did not know what to make of any of it.  She could hardly believe that this was to be her life from now on and kept feeling the disconcerting sense that it was all just a dream.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: **I'm on vacation this week (no work, yay!) so expect several updates to this story.  In the meantime, so many people to thank!

**rp: **I really admire you for going into the Peace Corps.  A friend of mine did that and I think it's just such an amazing thing to do.  I will definitely try my best to get the story finished so that you can read it before you leave.

**Lollipop5 and June Bug:** Glad to hear that you're enjoying the story.  There's still much to come!

**Kookle Wrenford: **Thank you for your fantastic review!  Your feedback is very helpful to me as I go back and write and revise before posting.  I definitely aim to make this story as realistic as possible and you have given me some fantastic ideas.

**Nadia/Munchkin: **Glad you're back!  When are your exams?  I hope my stories will be good study breaks for you!  Don't worry if it takes a while for you to read them, I completely understand.  I'm sending you my best wishes for your success with your exams!

**Chapter 30**

Before he went to his study, Rhain stopped at his chamber to change into a simple shirt and breeches with a leather jerkin over them.  He had much work to do before dinner and he wanted to be as comfortable as possible.  Once in his study, he sent for Sir Edwyn, who was training the knights, and then settled to write letters to the kings of Germany and Italy.

            To the German king, Rhain wrote that he accepted the king's kind offer of Germany's assistance in a war against France and requested that the German king come to the English castle as soon as possible so that they could discuss their war strategy.  He also added a personal note, expressing his gratitude for the kind treatment they had received in Germany.  He extended his friendship to the king and his best wishes for the health and happiness of all the people of his realm.

            Rhain's letter to the Italian king was vastly different, as it began with an announcement of the death of his father and an explanation of its circumstance.  With a sense of unreality, Rhain introduced himself as the new king of England and extended a royal invitation for the Italian king to visit, along with the German king.  He expressed his wishes that the king of Italy would see fit to ally himself with England in the war against France.  

            He was just sealing his letters when Edwyn arrived in his study.  His friend was soaked with sweat and looked exhausted.

            "Your Majesty sent for me?" the knight asked.  He stood at attention rather than taking a seat across from Rhain, as he normally would have done.  He looked awkward, as if he were not quite certain how to conduct himself.

            The king frowned.  "Is that how your treat your old friend?" he asked.  "Surely you do not believe that I would stand upon ceremony now, Edwyn.  Sit as you always have and address me by my Christian name, unless your feelings of friendship for me have changed."

            "Of course they have not," Edwyn replied.  "'Tis simply that I know not how to conduct myself.  I know not what to do now that you are king."

            Rhain sighed and then smiled at his friend.  "Imagine how I feel.  But I wish that you, of all people, would not treat me any differently than you always have.  We have long been friends and I wish you to simply treat me as Rhain, just as you did in the past."

            Edwyn flopped into a chair and pushed his hair back out of his face.  He scrubbed his hand over his beard wearily and then looked at his friend.  "'Tis simply that times are changing and I am uncertain of what to do with myself during the transition."

            Rhain rose from his seat and walked over to one of his windows, staring out in contemplation.  "Times are changing, indeed."

            Neither man said anything for a short time and then Rhain turned back to his friend.  "Edwyn, there is much business before me and things are indeed changing, but one thing shall always remain the same.  You shall always be my best friend and I shall always trust you implicitly.  As you know, I must decide who are to be my advisors.  I have thought long and hard, but there is one position that I did not need to think about for long.  Edwyn, I appoint you as my Secretary of State.  I feel that there is no one else in the kingdom that is even remotely as qualified as you.  I trust in your sense and good judgment and I know that you will advise me well."

            The knight rose from his seat with tears in his eyes.  "You do me a great honor, Rhain," he said, solemnly.  "I accept your offer with pleasure and hope for nothing more than to always serve you to the best of my abilities."

            "I know that you always shall," Rhain said, with a smile.  "I shall announce your appointment on the morrow, along with the names of the other advisors that I have chosen.  I have sent out an official decree inviting the whole of the kingdom to attend.  I expect that there will be a good number of people present."

            Edwyn looked perplexed.  "I am not certain I understand.  Forgive me, I know that your choice of advisors is important, but is it not somewhat unusual to invite the whole of the kingdom?  Does not the king usually make an announcement before his court and then allow the news to be carried by messenger to the rest of the kingdom?"

            Rhain walked back over to his desk, his arms clasped behind his back.  He met his friend's eye and nodded.  "You are right, 'tis unusual.  However, I have chosen to make this announcement publicly for a few reasons.  One is that I think it important to involve the whole of this kingdom during this time of change.  I feel my people need to know that I may be a competent leader and that I have their best interests at heart.  However, there is another, more personal, reason for my choosing to make such a public announcement.  While my selection of those who are to be my advisors is very important, I have another announcement to make that is of great concern to my entire kingdom."

            The new Secretary of State now looked utterly confused.  He leaned forward in anticipation.  "What is that?"

            An enormous smile spread across Rhain's face.  He could no longer conceal his joyous news from his friend.  "I am to be married."

            Edwyn seemed taken aback.  He rose from his chair in shock.  "Married?" he asked, disbelief sounding in his voice.  "To whom?"  Suddenly, a look of perfect comprehension dawned on his face and he met Rhain's eye.  "To Keelin?  Can it be?"

            "Aye," Rhain confirmed.  "I proposed to her today and was accepted.  I have already told my mother and plan to make an announcement at tonight's feast."

            The giant's face was wreathed in smiles.  "Congratulations!  I cannot express my joy for you on this occasion!  I know how you have longed for this."

            "You are right, I have.  It took some persuasion and I know that our marriage will have its share of difficulties, but that is nothing when I think that Keelin shall be my wife.  I feel certain that we shall overcome any obstacles."

            "You will have my love and support to aide you," Edwyn said stoutly.  He hesitated for a moment.  "I have spoken with your lady."

            "You have?  When?" Rhain asked, confusion clearly written on his face.

            "Directly after His Majesty's funeral.  I…I was concerned about you and knew that she was your friend.  I thought that, perhaps, she would be able to help me better protect you from any danger from Mordrid.  I hope you will not be angry with me.  I did not mean to go behind your back, but you were not yourself and I feared for you."

            Edwyn's words brought painful memories to the surface, but they also touched him.  It was gratifying to know that his friend cared that much about him.  "Over these last few days, I have come to understand many things," Rhain said to him.  "I was out of my head in Germany and had you not been there with me, I very likely would have gotten myself senselessly killed.  I was blinded by rage, by a thirst for revenge.  Make no mistake, I still feel rage at the thought of Mordrid and I still wish to avenge my father's death, but my thoughts have cleared as of late.  You need not worry for me any longer.  I will not do anything hasty.  I cannot risk my kingdom in that manner.  This war will be well planned and well thought out, with your help."

            "Of course you shall have my help," Edwyn said.  "I confess I am truly relieved to hear you speak thus.  I vow to you that I will do everything in my power to help you avenge His Majesty's death and to ensure the peace of this kingdom."

            Rhain stepped around his desk to hug his friend and the two of them slapped each other on the back.  The king then returned to his seat and Edwyn followed suit.

            "As much as I wish to discuss nothing more than my joyous news, I must speak with you of affairs of state before we leave to dress for the feast," Rhain said.

            The Secretary of State nodded and the newly crowned king told Edwyn of his letters and his plans for a meeting with the kings of Italy and Germany.  They discussed the best course of action possible, deciding that everything should be done as expeditiously as possible in order to limit the amount of time the king of France would have to prepare for such an attack.  They decided that all of the normal fanfare surrounding a visit of the kings of other European nations should be suspended for the time being.  They would have a feast in honor of the two kings' presence on the night that they arrived, but decided to dispense with the normal balls, hunts, and other activities that usually followed.  In their opinion, it was best to preserve such sport for the future, in celebration of a victory against France.

            Finally, the two men parted company at Rhain's chamber door so that they could ready themselves for the feast and announcement that were shortly to follow.  When he returned to his chamber, Rhain saw that his orders had been carried out most efficiently.  A tub was ready for him to bathe and his servants had readied raiment of somber blue velvet for him.  He felt that he should be in deep mourning for the loss of his father, but also knew that he needed to show his new position as king of England.  He had decided that dark colors would best suit this occasion, with the inclusion of a black armband to be worn in memory of his father.  Similar armbands had been issued to all of the kings' knights, and they were to wear them to the feast as well.

            Rhain was bathed and dressed quickly, his hair tied back neatly, and his crown placed upon his head.  As reluctant as he was to go about wearing it in such a manner, he knew that it was important for him to wear it on this night for many reasons.  He needed to emphasize that he was now the king and he needed to project an air of authority when he made his announcement.  

Just before he quitted his chamber, his servants presented a small chest to him, opening it for his inspection.  He pronounced his approval, pleased with what he saw within.  He had sent a message earlier in the day telling the servants to procure the item for him and was pleased with its results.  The king praised his servants and then set off for Keelin's chamber, one of the servants trailing behind him with the chest.

            He had known that Keelin would be dressed similarly to him, but he was still unprepared for what he saw when her chamber door was opened and her blushing, somewhat giddy ladies bowed before him and led him into the chamber.  Keelin was standing at the far end of the chamber with her back to the door, her head leaning against the window frame as she gazed out into the forest.  She had apparently not heard his entrance, for she turned with a start when he spoke her name.  A light blush colored her cheeks as she smiled at him bashfully.

            She looked so incredibly beautiful that Rhain could scarcely believe his eyes.  She was dressed in deep blue, like him, in an elegant gown of velvet with a brocaded satin underskirt.  Her sleeves were slashed with a blue satin lining that matched her underskirt.  They puffed out up to her elbow and he wondered at the tiny little laces that adorned them.  From the elbow down, the sleeves were straight and fitted.  The gown had a square neckline, which showed off the creamy beauty of her skin to perfection and the gentle swell of her bosom.  The gown was embroidered in deep blue thread about the neckline and the waist and along the sides of the cutaway of her velvet skirt.  Her hair was tied back in an intricate mass of tiny braids that were tucked into a little jeweled net that sparkled with dark blue sapphires.  She was exquisite.

            Rhain walked up to her and took her hands in his.  "What is this vision before me?" he asked quietly, his voice filled with wonder.  Keelin blushed even more deeply.

            "Do you like it?" she asked him, somewhat anxiously.

            "I have never seen anything more beautiful," he told her honestly.  "I have always known you to be the loveliest, most angelic creature on Earth, but your beauty is always a source of amazement to me, just the same."

            Keelin protested weakly, finally raising her face to his so that she was looking into his eyes.  "I feel strange in my own skin, as if I am not myself," she said.  Her dear face looked sad, causing a stabbing sensation in Rhain's heart.

            "Of course you are yourself.  I know that 'tis strange to be dressed in such a manner, but that does not take away from who you are.  I shall always love you for whom and what you are, no matter what you wear."  As he spoke, he caressed her cheek gently with the back of his hand and he felt her relax.

            "You have made me feel better," she said to him.

            "I am glad," he replied.  "Now, I have a surprise for you."  He summoned the servant with the chest forward and took it from the man, holding it out to Keelin.  

            "What is this?" she asked.

            "Open it," he said, with a smile.

            Tentatively, she reached out and opened the chest.  She gasped audibly and her eyes grew very large and wide as she looked at what lay inside.  "Oh, 'tis too magnificent.  Nay, I cannot…"

            "You can and you shall," Rhain said, gently.  "Can you not let me spoil you as I wish?  You are to be queen and these are part of the collection of the crown jewels.  I ask that you wear them for me."

            "I shall do so if it pleases you," she replied.  "'Tis simply that I do not think myself worthy…"

            "Hush," Rhain said, placing a gentle finger on her lips to halt her speech and then dropping a tender kiss there.  "I shall be the judge of that."  He smiled warmly at her.  "Do you honestly mean to tell me that you do not think them beautiful?"

            She smiled back at him, warming his heart.  "I think them more beautiful than anything I have ever seen.  Indeed, I do feel almost as though I were a princess or a queen, dressed as I am and now with these jewels to wear."

            "You will soon be my queen," Rhain said, the sound of the words sending a jolt through his body.  He placed the chest back on the pillow carried by his servant and then removed the necklace.  He fastened it around Keelin's neck carefully, kissing her on the cheek as he withdrew his hands.  Rhain then took the earrings from the box, placing them carefully in her newly pierced ears.  She winced slightly and he studied her with concern.  His servant withdrew from the chamber discreetly.  

            "Did I hurt you?" he asked.

            "Nay," she said, with a smile.  "I am merely a little sore about the ears."

            "I would kiss them, but I think it would send your ladies into quite a flutter," Rhain whispered in her ear, his voice low and seductive.  In contradiction to his words, his lips brushed her ear most tantalizingly as he spoke.  It was all he could do to prevent himself from laughing when her cheeks went scarlet.

            "Rhain," she protested, weakly.

             "I shall not pretend that I do not desire you, but I shall speak of it no further as I can see that you find my speech impudent."

            "Nay, I do not think you impudent.  'Tis just…well, 'tis only that…"  Keelin's voice trailed off hopelessly and her face turned even redder.

            Rhain laughed softly and lowered his lips to her hand.  "Perhaps 'tis just that you feel the same and have been thinking improper thoughts about me?" he teased her, tracing circles in her palm with his fingertips.

            "I can hardly discuss such things at present," she said weakly, casting a glance toward her ladies.  Her flaming cheeks gave him all the confirmation he needed.

            "There now, have I not distracted you from the task at hand and from your horror at the sight of these jewels?" he asked her.

            "You are naughty indeed," Keelin scolded him, but she could not stop a small burst of laughter from overtaking her.

            "There is the smile that I treasure," he said to her.  "All the more so because I know that 'tis just for me.  I cannot tell you how often I longed for you to turn your smiles on me.  You are positively radiant when you smile.  There, now, let me have a look at those jewels and then we shall go."

            Keelin peeked up at him shyly through her lashes as he studied her in the crown jewels.  The necklace was heavy with deep blue sapphires and diamonds set in gold.  They flashed as she moved, emphasizing the fine smoothness of her skin.  The earrings winked and bobbed as she turned her head, drawing attention to the beauty of her face, the elegant curve of her neck, the magnificent hair nestled in its jeweled net.  She was incredible and he told her so, causing her to blush once more, most becomingly.

            He tucked her arm into his and the giggling ladies opened the chamber door for them, trailing behind them as they progressed through the corridor.  Rhain held Keelin's arm tightly and was proud of the many stares she drew as she passed.  They reinforced his belief that she was the most beautiful woman on Earth.  He was proud of her bravery in the face of this daunting night, proud of the way she held her head up high.  Whenever he had seen her in the past, she had looked at the ground, as if unworthy of meeting the eye of any who passed her.  This night, though, she was the epitome of elegance and beauty as she journeyed through the corridor and into the great hall.  She would make a fine queen.  He was a lucky man indeed.

            Rhain could hear a great deal of whispering as he led Keelin into the great hall and to the chair to his right.  The crowd rose as one to bow before the king and to stare at the young woman on his arm.  Sir Edwyn rose from his seat as they entered the chamber and bowed to them.  He took Keelin's hand and lowered his face to it for a kiss before returning to his seat on Rhain's left side.  Rhain could hear the whispers increase at this sign of respect, the pitch of them growing only louder when the queen rose and the two women curtseyed to one another.  Rhain helped Keelin into her seat and then gestured for the rest of those present to take their seats as well.  The hall grew absolutely silent and still as he stood there, everyone waiting to see what their new king had to say.

            "Honorable lords and ladies of the realm and my good sir knights, 'tis with a humble heart that I present myself to you as your king.  I wish to assure you that, although these are turbulent times in the kingdom, they are also times of great and beneficial change.  I cannot claim to be half the man that my father was, but with the grace of God, I shall do my best by you and hope that I may someday be honored by being thought of as a competent and fair king.  I wish to assure you that the protection, safety, and peace of my people is my utmost concern and I shall take any step I feel necessary to procure peace and prosperity for my realm.  I fear that war with France is a necessity, but once that threat is removed, I shall turn my full attention to the improvement of my kingdom, for I hope to bring about a great deal of change.  This is a time of sorrow in my kingdom and I will never let my father's death be forgotten, but this is also a time of hope and joy.  Let the changes in my kingdom begin with me, my faithful and ever-loyal subjects.  Let me be the first to break through the barriers that separate us from our fellow men.  As you all noticed, I entered the hall tonight with a maiden on my arm.  'Tis my honor and pleasure to announce to you that I am to be married to that maiden."  

            The king paused for a moment as a gasp of surprise rippled through the crowd.  Excited chatter followed this outburst and Rhain took the opportunity to look over at Keelin and give her a reassuring smile.  He could see that she was nervous, but her expression was one of the utmost seriousness and he could see the determination in her eyes.  Her strength gave him strength and he turned his attention back to the crowd so that he could finish his speech.

            "I know that you all wonder who this maiden is.  I shall now tell you that you may know her, but not because she is of noble birth.  In fact, her only relation to the peerage has been a lifetime of service.  She is a peasant by birth, but noble of heart and I truly believe that she will prove to be not only a good and loving wife to me, but an exemplary queen to her people.  Her name is Keelin and she is the maiden whom I rescued from the clutches of Mordrid."

            It took several minutes for the commotion to die down this time and Rhain walked over to Keelin's chair and, taking her hand, helped her to rise from her seat and stand next to him.

            "This feast that you see before you tonight is in honor of my future bride.  I am certain that you will all feel as we do, that a bright future is spread out before us, a future in which we can build a better kingdom for every man, woman, and child of the realm.  I have learned humility and love from this maiden.  I have learned what 'tis to be a better man.  'Tis my hope that you will all learn from her as well."

            Keelin blushed as Rhain spoke, but held her head high and gazed out at the crowd steadily.  Her expression was serene, but her hand trembled in his.  He picked his goblet up from the table and held it aloft.

            "To my lady, Keelin," he toasted.

            "To the lady, Keelin," most of the crowd repeated.  Some of the nobles stared at Keelin with bald faced curiosity and Rhain saw several hostile glances among these.  He felt his temper flare but told himself to be patient, that it would take time for some of the nobles to accept such changes in the kingdom.

In spite of this trouble, the king was heartened to hear that the toast to Keelin led most heartily by Sir Edwyn.  It gladdened Rhain's heart to see her glance over at his friend and grace him with one of her beautiful smiles.  He handed Keelin her goblet and they drank to the toast.

            "Now, let us eat," Rhain said.  He helped Keelin into her seat and seated himself.  Just as the servants began bringing the platters of food out, one of the knights, Sir Ronald, stood and turned toward his king.  The two men had grown up together, had played with one another as lads and Rhain knew him nearly as well as he knew Edwyn.

            "Long live His Majesty, King Rhain!" Sir Ronald cried out.  And then turning toward Keelin, he added, "Long live the lady Keelin!"

            The knights repeated his toast and Rhain saw Keelin smile graciously toward Sir Ronald as she lifted her goblet.  The king felt his heart swell.  He had always known that his knights were the best of the best, the most loyal and faithful knights that a king could hope for, but he was always gratified by their displays of loyalty.  If Rhain said that he loved this woman and that she would be an example to all, then his knights would believe it and would encourage their wives and daughters to emulate her.  Though the response from the nobility has so far been less than enthusiastic, Sir Ronald had proved that the knights would stand behind their king.  Rhain looked toward the other man and mouthed the words "old friend" to him.  Sir Ronald smiled and regained his seat.

            The feast went quite well.  The food was deliciously prepared and the wine excellent.  Rhain graciously accepted the many congratulations offered to him by the knights and a considerable part of the nobility and watched with great satisfaction as they then moved on to be introduced to Keelin and to pay their respects to her.  She handled everything beautifully, calling each person by his or her name and gracing them with a smile.  He saw her in animated conversation with his mother several times and could see that there was a steady foundation for a great affection between the two women who mattered the most to him.

            At the end of the feast, Sir Edwyn begged the favor of seeing the queen to her chamber, winking slyly at his friend.  Rhain knew he had done it solely to allow him a few precious moments alone with Keelin.

            "I shall see you early on the morrow in the exercise yard, my friend," Sir Edwyn said.  "I bid you good night.  I bid you good night as well, my lady," he said, turning to Keelin and giving her hand a chivalrous kiss. 

            "Good night, good Sir Edwyn," she replied.  "And good night to you, my lady," Keelin said, bowing to the queen.

            "Good night, my dear.  Shall I send for you on the morrow?  I believe we have much to discuss," the queen replied.  Rhain watched as she took Keelin's hand and pressed it between her own.

            "I would consider it an honor and the greatest source of pleasure to me," Keelin told her.  

            "Good night, dear mother," Rhain said.  As he leaned over to kiss her, he whispered in her ear, "Thank you for your great kindness to Keelin."

            "She is a dear girl," the queen said softly.  She kissed her son in return.  "Good night, my darling.  Do not work yourself too hard on the morrow."

            "I promise you that I will not," Rhain said to her.  He turned to Keelin and offered her his arm.  "Come, my lady, I will escort you to your chamber."

            "I thank you kindly, my lord," she said, placing her hand in the crook of his arm.  He led her from the chamber, his mother and Sir Edwyn behind them.  When they reached the fork in the corridor, they parted company, the knight leading the queen to her chamber and Rhain guiding Keelin to hers.

            "You were wonderful tonight," he told her.

            "'Twas all so overwhelming," she confessed to him.  "Forgive me, but I must say that I am glad 'tis over."

            Rhain covered her hand with his.  "Will you be well on the morrow, when I present you to the rest of the kingdom?"

            "There can never be anything wrong, as long as you are by my side," she said, sweetly.

            "Say such words again and I shall be forced to kiss you here in this corridor, in front of all the servants, knights, and nobility."

            Keelin smiled at him.  "I am uncertain of whether that is much of a threat."

            They arrived at her door, the journey seeming to end much too soon for Rhain.  He bent his head and kissed her hand, aching to take her in his arms and kiss her soundly as he had in the forest, but restraining himself in front of the curious eyes of those in the corridor.

            "I am afraid that I shall be very busy on the morrow, but I shall return to you and we shall dine alone in my study."

            "I shall look forward to it," Keelin said, her cheeks turning an enchanting shade of pink once again.  "Sweet dreams, sweet king."

            "They shall be the sweetest of all, filled with nothing but you."

            Rhain kissed her hand once more and then watched her disappear behind her chamber door before continuing on to his.  He was exhausted, nearly overwhelmed by all that had happened to him and could not help but be glad for a few moments of quiet reflection.

            The king dismissed his servants when he entered his chamber, undressing himself slowly before pulling his nightclothes on.  His grief over his father's death was still great and he found himself asking his father for strength and wisdom and hoping that his father saw fit to give his blessing for his son's marriage.  Rhain wiped tears away from his eyes and promised himself that he would keep his father's memory alive.  He would win battles and build monuments in the great king's honor and someday he would come to terms with the idea that he would never again see his father.

            His thoughts then turned to his bride-to-be.  He had already decided that he would not take his father's chamber, that he would bring his bride into his own chambers once they were married.  He would have them redecorated in her honor, softening the overt masculinity of the chambers, changing them to reflect the change in his life.  As he stood and gazed out his window, he could scarcely wait to stand before it with Keelin, holding her in his arms as they gazed out onto the stars and dreamed of their future together.  He would see to it that their wedding was the most joyous celebration that the kingdom had ever seen, a great spot of beauty and joy in the midst of the sorrow and pain that would follow the war.  He knew that he could never repay the human lives that were certain to be lost, but he would do his best by his people by doing all he could to ensure their prosperity, peace, and harmony.

            At last, Rhain climbed into bed, wishing once more that Keelin were there beside him.  He wondered if every man ached for his future bride as he did.  He wondered that anyone could stand the anticipation of marriage, so tempted was he to simply call for a priest and wed Keelin immediately.  Rhain refused to do that, though, knowing that she deserved a beautiful wedding and celebration, that she deserved his undivided attention and undistracted love on the eve of their marriage.  He would give that to her soon after his return from France.  That was a beautiful thought and, as he drifted off to sleep, happy images of their wedding played through his mind.


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

            The next few days were bewildering to Keelin.  She felt like there was so much that she did not know and she was ashamed by her ignorance.  She was eager to please and tried her best to follow the queen's example, but often felt her own inadequacy.  It seemed she was always too open during times that called for reserve, too lively when she should have been serious, too quiet when she should have been communicative.  There were so many social rules to live by that she began to feel quite sorry for those of a more privileged birth indeed.  There was a code of society among those of a lower birth, but it was much less restrictive than the code that existed for the persons of rank.  She felt like even if she tried to learn only one social rule each day for the rest of her life she would never be able to fully understand or remember each of them.  It was very discouraging.

            She was also having a difficult time adjusting to the order of her new life.  It took her a few days before her uneasiness over having her ladies dress and ready her began to dissipate and that was only because they were so kind to her and so lively that she began to derive great pleasure from their amusing prattle as they readied her.  However, she could not get over her lack of privacy.  It seemed that there was always a servant at hand somewhere and she had to constantly remind herself to dismiss each and every one of them when she wanted some time alone.  As a servant, she had been accustomed to doing everything for herself and she could not become accustomed to there always being someone present to do every small task for her.  It made her begin to feel quite idle.  

Most awkward of all was her unease at doling out commands.  It was not that the queen was tyrannical, but she gave every direction to her servant with an air of indisputable authority.  Keelin found that it embarrassed her to even have servants.  When she needed them to do something for her, she often asked them in a very apologetic manner, as if she were sorry to disturb them even though it was their duty to see to it that she had everything she wanted.  This attitude worked both for and against her.  It made her quite a favorite with the good servants, but it also allowed the unscrupulous servants to take advantage of her.

            Lastly, she did not think she would ever grow accustomed to the expense and luxury that constantly surrounded her.  The day after the feast, she was again measured for some new gowns, but in the meantime she was given some that had originally been meant for the queen or other ladies of rank.  The silks, satins, and velvets in their vibrant colors were beautiful and tempting, but she could not get used to the feel of them against her skin.  She was every day tempted to return to her old linen peasant garb for the sheer sake of comfort.  Not only were the fabrics she was to wear heavy, she was also now laced into every manner of tight undergarment from whalebone stays to stiff underskirts.  She often felt three times her normal size as she tried to maneuver her way through the castle in all her many layers of clothing.  She favored lighter brocaded silks and satins without stiff underskirts on the days when she did not have an important dinner or introduction, which afforded her some relief from her elaborate dress.  Still, every gown that she now owned and that was in the process of being made for her had a train and she found herself constantly tripping over it.

            In spite of all this confusion and discomfort, Keelin was not unhappy.  Her hours were occupied by pursuits that were pleasurable and beneficial to her at the same time.  She began to learn how to play musical instruments and began to study foreign languages so that she might make courteous remarks to visiting nobles.  She saw a play for the first time and was introduced to some of the works of the great poets, playwrights, and novelists.  Keelin was also beginning to learn about horsemanship, so that she might ride with Rhain once the war was over.

Keelin was also never without enjoyable companionship, especially when it came to her future mother-in-law.  She found the queen to be a very kind woman and grew to enjoy her company immensely.  They would often converse for hours on every variety of subject and Keelin found that the queen had a keen mind and an eye for observation.  Keelin felt grateful for the queen's kindness and was very thankful for the queen's accepting her so quickly and unequivocally.  The queen seemed to enjoy Keelin's company just as much as Keelin enjoyed that of the queen.

            Fortunately, she also met several members of the nobility who were of particular interest to her.  She was on her guard with them for, in spite of their kindness, she feared that they masked their true feelings, but she felt that there were several that she could grow to like very much in time.  It embarrassed her that some of the women were quick to adopt any style of hair or dress that Keelin adopted, but she also knew that this was a sincere form of flattery and tried to think of it as such.  If they did not truly accept her, she was certain that they would snub anything and everything that had anything to do with her in the slightest regard.  

She felt most comfortable amongst the knights and their ladies, and most especially around Edwyn.  She was gratified by their unquestioning acceptance of her and proud that she was to marry the man who inspired such loyalty.  That the knights trusted him implicitly was evident and they sought to recommend themselves to his future bride, trusting that they would find her to be every bit as trustworthy and amiable as they found him.

            The one thing that made all her discomforts worth suffering was the time that she had to spend with Rhain each day.  It was far too brief for their liking, but they both understood the importance of the many meetings that he had to attend and the many messages he had to dispatch.  It only made the short times they had to spend together even more precious.  They often escaped to the forest or had secret rendezvous on the battlements at night, treasuring the opportunity to haunt the very scenes of their former meetings.  They told one another of the longing they had felt after each meeting, of the growing sense of urgency that drew them together more and more often, and of their attempts to ignore feelings that each had felt too dangerous in their own turn.  Keelin truly felt akin to Rhain, as if he were a part of her, as if his presence in her life filled a great void and made her complete.  

            As for the people of the kingdom, Keelin found that public opinion was divided.  She suspected that the opinions of the nobility were much the same but the nobility was much more discreet about their feelings.  The public, however, had no political intrigues with which to concern themselves and the announcement of Keelin's betrothal to the king was met with openly diverse reactions.  There were those who accepted her betrothal with great joy and approbation, feeling that it was perfectly appropriate for the king to marry a woman of the peasant class.  Indeed, there were those who thought it a mark of the king's high regard for his people.  On the other hand, there were those who thought their marriage highly improper and felt a great deal of mistrust with regard to their sovereign.  Many thought this was simply a ploy on his part to coax them into obedience and submission.  They did not believe that he could truly love a peasant enough to treasure her as a wife.  They were certain he would find a way to divorce her as soon as possible and marry a woman of better standing once the war had ended.  It hurt Keelin that some of the people had such suspicions, but she could not blame them.  She could only hope that she could win them over in the end.

            Keelin made very few requests during those days, but she did request that Alinda also be removed from the sewing chamber so that Alinda could be made her one of her ladies.  Initially, Alinda seemed to feel very awkward around Keelin and was uncertain of how to behave around her, but the two women soon shared the same easy friendship that they had before Keelin had become betrothed to the king.  Alinda often marveled over her friends' betrothal but was quick to say that she did not doubt that the king could love her friend; she just thought it extraordinary that two people of such a difference in rank would one day be wed.  Keelin could not help but agree with her.

            About a fortnight after Rhain's proposal, he came to dine with her in his study, as was often their habit.  It was usually the only time they were able to spend alone together.  On this night, however, he had very important news for her.

            "Good evening, my darling," he said to her once he had entered the chamber and seen the door shut behind him.  There was not a servant in sight and Keelin felt herself relax.  He strode over to her, taking her in his arms and kissing her tenderly.  "How I have missed you today."

            "I too have missed you," she said to him.  "I am glad that you are here with me."

            "So am I.  I am gladder than you can possibly know.  Come now, let us eat our dinner.  I have had some news," he said, taking her by the hand and leading her to the table.

            "What is it?" she asked, her curiosity nearly overwhelming her.

            He helped her seat herself and then took his own seat.  He poured them each a goblet of wine before answering her question.  She leaned forward in her seat and studied him intently until he spoke.  She fervently hoped that it was good news.

            "I have heard from the kings of Italy and Germany," he said, taking a sip of his wine.

            "Well?" she questioned impatiently.  "Is it good or bad?  I pray you, tell me immediately.  You know I cannot bear the anticipation."

            "'Tis both good and bad," Rhain said.  He took another sip of his wine and then set his goblet aside.  He turned his gaze on her and she studied his face intently, trying to read his thoughts.  He turned his eyes away from her and leaned back in his chair.

            "It would seem that the king of Spain is in league with the king of France," Rhain said.  "He knew of the French king's ambush against my father and was a party to the planning.  Although none of his men were present, he agreed to distract the German king and to keep word of the French king's delayed arrival from being dispatched."

            Keelin gasped in horror.  "Must you declare war against Spain as well?"

            "I cannot avoid it," Rhain said, his eyes returning to her face.  He too leaned forward in his chair.  "It seems that the Spanish king has sent soldiers, armor, and weapons into France.  'Tis certain that they are preparing for a war with England."

            "What shall you do?" Keelin asked, feeling fear stab at her heart.  "Have you enough men to face both countries at once?"

            "Spain is quite weak, but France is nearly as strong as England.  I do not think I have the resources to be victorious against them in war on my own.  I have also had word that France and Spain have solicited the support of Italy and Germany."

            Keelin's eyes grew large with horror.  "And what was the result?"

            "The Italian king is very weak and reluctant to go to war at all for he has neither the resources nor the men.  He has declared himself a friend of England, but is uncertain of whether he can be of any aid to us.  The German king flatly refused an alliance with Spain and France, declaring himself a friend and ally of the English and adding that he considered my father's slaying as an attack against his own land.  This comes as no surprise to me, though I am greatly relieved because of it.  He had pledged his soldiers and support to me the day of the attack."

            Keelin felt a twinge of relief at this news, although she was still anxious at the thought of her beloved Rhain riding off to war.  She knew that it was necessary, but she had held onto the slim hope that a peaceful compromise could be reached.  It now seemed that was impossible and she felt that the day when Rhain would need to set sail for France was now imminent and close at hand.  

            Rhain took another sip of his wine and pushed some food around on his plate before continuing.  "The German and Italian kings arrive here on the morrow.  I have spent much of the day preparing for their visit.  We shall try to ascertain just how Italy may be able to aide us and King Ludwig and I will discuss our strategy.  I am afraid that war with France is imminent and the sooner it begins, the better."

            Keelin lost all appetite for her dinner.  "Have you prepared a celebration in honor of the visit?"

            "Nay.  The German king has no queen but the Italian king will not bring his lady as this is strictly a meeting for the purposes of discussing war, but I do intend to have a feast on the morrow and I ask that you be present.  It has already been announced that I am betrothed and both kings would like to meet you."

            "Of course.  I will do anything to help you, you know that," she said to him, her voice urgent.

            "I do know that," Rhain said with a weak smile.  "That knowledge gives me strength."

            He rose from his chair, his food untouched, and walked over to one of his windows, gazing out of it.  Keelin rose as well, her own plate untouched and unwanted, and walked over to Rhain.  She studied him for a moment, feeling her heart swell with love, concern, and fear.  He was dressed in a loose shirt, tight breeches, leather jerkin, high leather boots, and bracers, his usual uniform on the days when he trained with his men.  A few strands of his auburn hair had escaped from the leather thong that held the rest back and she reached forward to tenderly coax them into place.  Rhain caught her hand and kissed her palm.

            "I fear not for myself," he told her.  "I fear for my mother and most especially for you.  You once told Sir Edwyn that Mordrid would strike at me in the manner he would consider most painful to me.  You must know that I am terrified at the thought that something may happen to you during the course of this war.  Mordrid will know that he may torture me most by pursuing you."

            Keelin felt a twinge of fear.  She knew that he was right, but she did not want him to worry.  He needed to concentrate and she worried that his fears for her might distract him.  She tried to smile at him reassuringly.

            "Do not you think that I shall be perfectly safe here?  I do.  This is a fine, strong castle and Mordrid shall be unable to penetrate its walls.  What is more, you shall be on French soil and he will be too busy fighting to spare the time and men to seek me here."  She did not quite believe her own words, but hoped that Rhain would.

            "Do you really think so?" he asked, relief evident in his voice.  "Aye, I suppose you are right.  How could he ever hope to take you away from here?  Any attempt would be both futile and foolish."

            "Indeed," Keelin said, relieved that Rhain had seemed to seize upon her reassurances.

            He drew her into his arms and kissed her.  "I do not know what I would do if any harm should ever befall you.  I think I should be beside myself, driven to madness."

            "May God forbid," Keelin said.

            "I shall protect you to the very forfeit of my own life," he vowed.  "Nothing shall stop me from being certain to protect you, at any cost."

            "I know, my love," she said, gently.  She was gratified by his words, but wanted to get him off the subject, afraid to allow him to linger over his fears.  She turned to gaze out the window.  "Does not the forest look lovely as it is now, all glazed over with frost?"

            Rhain wrapped his arms around her, her back against his chest, and rested his chin on her head.  "Indeed it does, although I mourn for the change, for it means that I can no longer steal off into the forest in the hopes of catching you strolling there alone.  I should hate for us both to turn into pillars of ice."   

            "That would be wretched indeed," Keelin said, laughing lightly.  "How I should hate to stand there with you in my sight but be unable to touch you."

            "Torture indeed," Rhain replied, and she was relieved to hear that his voice sounded lighter and happier than it had a few minutes ago.

            A knock sounded at the door and Rhain groaned.  Keelin sighed and turned to give him a brief kiss on the lips.  "You must go see who it is," she told him.

            "It makes me most angry to be interrupted during this paltry amount of time I have to spend with you," he said, and she could hear the displeasure in his voice.

            "'Tis most unpleasant to me as well, but only think, darling, that once this business has ended, we shall be wed and have hour upon hour to spend with one another without interruption."

            Rhain sighed again, but smiled and embraced her.  "Thank you for reminding me," he said.

            He turned away from her and moved toward the door.  Keelin remained in her spot, watching him as he opened the door.  Lord Edwyn was standing on the other side and he looked very sorry indeed to have interrupted him.  Keelin thought he look well wearing his chain and medallion of office, having recently been gifted with the titles of Earl of Kent and Secretary of State, but tonight was not a night for pleasantries.  With an apologetic glance toward her, he told Rhain that a message of the utmost importance had arrived, requiring his immediate attention.

            "Forgive me, Keelin, for interrupting your dinner," Edwyn said to her.

            "You need not ask my forgiveness, Edwyn," she told him.  "Affairs of the state must come first at this time."

            Edwyn bowed to her and looked away while Rhain embraced her briefly and gave her a short kiss before leaving her.

            "I am sorry that we have had but a few minutes together today," he said regretfully.  "We shall not have many more on the morrow."

            "I am sorry too, but you must go now.  Until this business is laid to rest, we shall always have precious little time together."

            "Good night, my love.  I shall come for you on the morrow, when the ships begin to arrive."

            "Good night," Keelin replied.

            Rhain closed the door and left and Keelin sat at the table for a few minutes, sipping at some wine and trying to get herself to eat, but with little success.  She finally pushed her plate away and stepped to the door to summon the servants.  All but one of them was set to work clearing the chamber.  The last was dispatched to find Alinda and bring her to Keelin's chamber.  In these days of great tension, one of Keelin's few reliefs was to discuss her fears with her friend.

            Alinda was waiting for her when she returned and she eyed Keelin critically when she had entered and dismissed her servants.

            "You have had nothing to eat today, I am certain of it," Alinda announced.

            Keelin sighed and smiled.  "I am afraid I cannot fool you.  Indeed, I have not."

"You must eat or you shall waste away to nothing.  You are so thin already."

            "There will be time enough for eating when this war is over," Keelin said, dismissing her friend's worries.  "You look well enough for the both of us," she added.

            Now that Alinda was one of Keelin's ladies, she was no longer a servant in the sewing chamber.  She spent her days with the queen's and future queen's other ladies, stitching and gossiping the hours away.  She assured Keelin that she was deliriously happy with her new position as it gave her a chance to get to know the notables of the court and to watch their interactions with one another.  It was all very amusing, she assured Keelin.  Alinda learned of the most interesting things.  People were always talking carelessly when they thought no one was listening.  Most of them seemed to find the queen's ladies so much a part of the background scenery that they seemed to speak far too freely when they ought to have held their tongues.  Alinda knew of every last intrigue at court, from who was having an affair with whom, to how many soldiers were garrisoned inside the castle.  Had Alinda any less integrity than she possessed, Keelin feared that she might learn a vast deal too much of things that she ought not to know.

            Today, Alinda was dressed in a silk gown of deep blue, her hair concealed beneath a matching headdress.  She told Keelin that one of her favorite things about being a lady to the future queen was her new wardrobe.  Unlike Keelin, she delighted in the expensive fabrics and the elaborate layers of the gowns.  Fortunately for Keelin, she had a good eye for fashion and was able to offer invaluable advice on matters of dress whenever Keelin needed it.  Keelin did not know what she would have done without Alinda.

            "Is something troubling you?" Alinda asked her.

            "Indeed there is," Keelin said, with a sigh.  She told Alinda of Rhain's messages and his fears for Keelin's safety.  She finished with an account of her own fears on the subject and Alinda regarded her with much sympathy.

            "It must be most difficult indeed to feel that the man you love is in so much danger," she said.

            "'Tis more difficult than I can express," Keelin said.  "I do not worry so much for myself but for him.  It pains me to see him in such a state."

            "Come now, you must not be so gloomy.  You must rest assured in the thought that His Majesty will be victorious."

            "You are right, of course.  'Tis simply that I cannot shake my unease.  Something seems out of place and that worries me.  There cannot be any distractions while this war is carried out.  The slightest change in plan could overturn the entire balance of power and lead to England's defeat.  We cannot be too careful to avoid the unexpected."

            "All will go just as planned, I am certain of it," Alinda said, her voice holding a lot more confidence than Keelin felt.  "You shall see that you have worried yourself over nothing."

            "I do hope you are right," Keelin said, with a sigh.  She decided to change the subject for the current topic of conversation left her much too tense.  "Now, there is the matter of the visit from the kings of Italy and Germany on the morrow.  What shall I wear for such a meeting?"

            Alinda rose from her chair and paced around her friend, studying her from head to toe.  "As much as you will not like it, you must be dressed in full splendor.  I believe you should wear your scarlet gown with the underskirt of gold brocade, complete with farthingale, and of course you should wear your hair…"

            Keelin groaned and held up a hand.  "Enough," she said, with a smile.  "I do not know why I ask you to torture me in this manner.  You need not carry on for I now understand you.  'Twill be bad enough to wear such garments.  I do not need you to give me a full description of them and remind me of why it is that I so detest wearing them."

            Alinda smiled at her friend, but shook her head.  "Tsk, Keelin.  Is this any way for the future Queen of England to speak?  You should delight in your position and the influence you may have over the fashions of the day."

            "I shall only delight in them if I succeed in doing away with the fashionable farthingale.  Indeed, I feel that I could hardly make a greater contribution to the women of the realm than that of bringing about its demise," Keelin said, rolling her eyes.

            Alinda laughed.  "What shall I do?  There are those who will never appreciate what is in fashion and I fear, my darling Keelin, that you are one of them.  You are quite singular indeed.  Most of the ladies that I know would delight in wearing your gowns."

            "Then let them!" Keelin exclaimed.  It felt good to joke with her friend in this manner.  It helped to relieve the almost constant tension she felt lately.  "In fact, I believe that I shall begin to parade about in breeches and boots.  Are they not far more utilitarian?  Aye, that is it.  I shall bring that into fashion so that soon all ladies are dressing like men."

            "Vile, most vile indeed," Alinda said, and Keelin could tell that her friend was half-joking and half-horrified at the idea.

            "Ah well, it shall not be my fault then if I trip the king of Italy with my train because I am able to exercise so little control over it."

            The two women giggled over the image until Alinda finally struck a pose of mock anger and said to her friend, "You are hopeless.  You shall never make a properly fashionable queen."

            "Thank heaven for that," Keelin said, with a sigh.  She dropped into a chair and rubbed at her eyes wearily.

            "I think 'tis time for me to go," Alinda said, her voice sounding sympathetic.

            Keelin turned to look at her friend.  "I suppose I had better rest now," she said, reluctantly.

            "Aye, you should," Alinda said firmly.  "I shall see you on the morrow for the feast."  She walked toward the door and opened it, stopping to peek around it at her friend before leaving.  "And, Keelin, if you should need to talk, do not hesitate to send for me."

            Keelin rose from her seat and crossed the chamber swiftly to embrace her friend.  "Thank you, Alinda.  I cannot tell you how much your friendship means to me.  'Tis one of my greatest comforts."

            "I am always glad to be of service to you," Alinda replied, hugging Keelin back affectionately.  "Now, off to bed with you.  You shall need to be rested for you are to have a grand day on the morrow."

            "Aye, so it is," Keelin replied.  "I promise you I shall lay my head upon my pillow the moment you leave me."

            "Good night, my friend," Alinda said.  "May you dream the sweetest dreams."

            "May you as well," Keelin answered.  With that, her friend was gone.

            Keelin's ladies entered a moment later to help her prepare for bed.  She was not wearing a very elaborate gown, so it did not take them long.  She gave them instructions as to her crimson gown with the farthingale so that they could have it ready for her on the morrow.  When they had finally finished fussing over her, they left the chamber and Keelin climbed into bed with a sense of great relief.  She was exhausted and, within a few moments of closing her eyes, she fell into a deep sleep.


	32. Chapter 32

**Chapter 32**

Rhain was exhausted the next morning, as was Edwyn.  The two men had spent nearly the whole night in Rhain's study, bent over his desk studying speeches, messages, and strategies over sputtering candles until they could no longer bear it.  Rhain had eventually stood and said that there was nothing further they could do and it was all out of their hands.  They would have to trust in a higher power.

            It was all the king could do to rise out of bed the next morning, but he knew that the German and Italian ships could be arriving at any moment.  He wanted to be prepared for them.  He had already arranged for gifts and for a special carriage to convey himself, Keelin, and the other two kings from the docks to his castle.  Rhain wanted a little fanfare to surround their arrival, but he was also trying to keep things as subdued as possible.  The most important thing was to form a strategy and to name a day for the attack on France.

            As Rhain's servants helped him into yet another mound of blue velvet robes, he recited what he would say to the two kings over and over in his head until he felt that it would burst.  His servants had just finished dressing him when a knock sounded at the door and a page was admitted.

            "Your Majesty, the ships are arriving," the boy said, bowing low before Rhain.

            "Send for Lord Edwyn and for my lady," Rhain said instantly.

            "There is no need to send for me for I am here, my lord," a voice said and Keelin appeared at the door. 

            "Your timing is most excellent," Rhain said, smiling briefly but with pure feeling.  "Send for Lord Edwyn, then."

            "Right away, Your Majesty," the boy said, bowing once more.  "My lady," he said, bowing to Keelin on his way out.

            "Good morning, my love," Rhain said, immediately crossing the chamber to take Keelin's hands in his and to kiss her briefly on the lips.

            "Good morning, my dearest," she responded.

            "You look extraordinarily beautiful, as usual," Rhain said to her.  "I am certain that one of us will make a fine impression on the German and Italian kings."

            Keelin blushed and then replied, "And a fine impression I shall make on the man who once hoped you would marry his daughter.  What shall he think when he learns that you have rejected her in favor of one of your servants?  Aye, I am certain he will think fine thoughts about me then."  Her voice was light and Rhain knew that she was in jest, trying to help him relax before greeting the other kings.

            He had to smile at her words.  "How unflattering you are to yourself, but I confess that I had not thought of it in that manner.  However did you know that the kings had arrived?"

            "I awoke early this morning and once I was dressed, I spent my time gazing out to sea," Keelin confessed.

            They heard a knock at the door and then Edwyn entered the chamber.  The giant was dressed in his robes and chain of office and not a hair was out of place.  He did, however, look somewhat nervous as he greeted his friends.

            "Good morrow, Rhain.  Good morrow, Keelin."  He paused to kiss Keelin's hand before continuing.  "Shall we be off?"

            "Aye.  We must fetch my mother and we should not keep Their Majesties waiting," Rhain said.

            The three set off, Rhain and Keelin in the lead, as was befitting their station.  Rhain could see Keelin frown slightly at the arrangement, making him love her even more.  Her ideas about equality among men were very provocative but Rhain saw that they were just.  He greatly admired her spirit and her courage, flying in the face of tradition as she was.

            They stopped at the dowager queen's door and Lord Edwyn offered her his arm.  They continued their train down the corridors and out into the castle's bailey, where Rhain handed Keelin and his mother into the royal carriage.  He and Edwyn mounted their horses and set forth, the carriage following.  It was a short ride to the docks, where tall poles had been erected and a length of silk was elegantly draped over them to create a canopy.  In fact, everything looked very festive and, Rhain thought, very incongruous, considering the occasion.  

            The king stepped down from the carriage and then held out his hand to help Keelin.  As she placed her hand in his, the diamond in her rink sparkled, as if to remind him that better times lay ahead.  He could not help but admire how well the ring looked on her elegant finger.  In fact, her entire figure spoke of elegance and he loved how the deep crimson and the warm gold tones of her gown brought about a healthy glow on her complexion.  Her hair was pulled back from her face in a complicated and beautiful twist of curls encased in a net studded with rubies that ended at the base of her skull with cascades of curls tumbling from beneath it. 

            Keelin gave him a reassuring smile as her head emerged from the carriage and he helped her down with the greatest of care.  Once he saw her safely to the ground, he tucked her arm into the crook of his elbow and led her forward.  The servants and nobility standing in rows beneath the canopy bowed respectfully before them as Rhain and Keeling moved near the end of the dock.  Lord Edwyn and Queen Anne soon followed, the earl placing himself next to the king and his mother placing herself next to her future daughter-in-law.  Trumpeters heralded the arrival of the foreign kings and Rhain was glad to see that Ludwig was the first to arrive.

            "Your Majesty, King Ludwig of Germany, we welcome you to our kingdom," Rhain said, bowing to the man.

            "The pleasure of the visit is all mine, Your Majesty," the German king replied, bowing in turn.  His accent was a brief but unpleasant reminder of the last time they had met.

            "We are greatly honored by your visit and wish to present you with tokens of our appreciation," Rhain said.  At his words, several servants stepped forward with presents of gold, jewels, tapestries, and other fine crafts created by English tradesmen.

            "There is no need for such gifts," King Ludwig replied kindly.  "I consider myself privileged to be a guest of the new king of England."

            Rhain was very much gratified by Ludwig's answer.  "Your friendship is most welcome, yet we ask that you accept these gifts as a remembrance of your visit."

            "We shall accept them gladly not because we believe them necessary but because we confess that we are quite anxious to be the owners of such splendid gifts.  We understand that the English are very fine craftsmen."

            Rhain smiled broadly at the German king.  He felt that he would come to like the man a great deal during their campaign against France.  Rhain felt certain that they would become fast friends. 

            "King Ludwig, allow me to present my betrothed, my lady Keelin."  Rhain watched as the king bowed before Keelin who lowered herself into a perfect court curtsey.

            "'Tis an honor to meet Your Majesty, as a man of whom my lord speaks most highly," she said to him.

            "The honor is all mine, my lady," the German king replied, lowering his head to her hand so that he could kiss it.  "Your lady is a rare and beautiful rose indeed, my friend," he said to Rhain.  Keelin blushed deeply and Rhain beamed.

            "Allow me to present to you Her Royal Highness, Queen Anne," Rhain said.

            The king bowed and Rhain's mother curtseyed.  King Ludwig lowered his head to kiss her hand and then placed his other hand on top of hers.  "Please allow me to express, Your Majesty, my deep sorrow and most sincere sympathies over the death of your most excellent husband.  He was an extraordinary king and a fine man and rest assured that I will not let his death go unpunished."

            Rhain could see his mother's eyes mist with tears as she gave the German king a wavering smile.  "I thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."

            "And, finally, allow me to present you to Lord Edwyn, Earl of Kent and Secretary of State, and my most loyal and faithful friend," Rhain finished.

            "'Tis an honor, Your Majesty," Edwyn said, bowing low to the king.

            "I have heard fine reports of your loyalty and your service, Lord Edwyn," King Ludwig replied.  "I look forward to conducting business with you."

            The trumpets sounded once again to announce the arrival of King Giovanni.  Rhain repeated his introductions and could not help but notice the Italian king sizing Keelin up.  Rhain supposed he could hardly blame the man as Rhain had refused his daughter but he found he had to fight to keep his temper in check.

            The three kings rode to the castle on horseback, followed by the royal carriage, which carried Keelin and the dowager queen.  The carriage was followed by Edwyn and the Secretaries of State of the other two kings, and, finally, the knights of all three kings.  The people had gathered in the streets to watch this procession, applauding the three kings and tossing flowers toward them, chanting "Long live the king!" in German, Italian, and English.  Rhain saw that many of the peasants, especially young peasant women and men, were also tossing roses toward Keelin's carriage.  His bride-to-be waved to the people from the carriage window.  Rhain was reassured by the display.

            When they arrived at the castle, Rhain bid his mother and Keelin an abbreviated good-bye before departing to meet with the other two kings and their advisors.  Once inside his conference chamber, Rhain took his place at the head of his table.

            "I would like to thank King Ludwig and King Giovanni once more for journeying here to meet with me.  England and her people, as well as myself, extend their gratitude to you for the friendship you have shown her."

            "Germany considers England as its own cousin," King Ludwig immediately said.  "The acts of war that France has committed against England are seen as acts of war against Germany as well, especially because they were committed on German soil.  Germany and her people are committed to their friendship with England and we offer our full support in England's campaign against the French.  By aligning with France, Spain is also now considered an enemy of the German empire."

            "Your friendship is most welcome and most appreciated, Ludwig," Rhain assured his friend.  "You are a fair and wise ruler and my father thought most highly of you."

            "Your father was as fine a king as ever lived," the German king said solemnly.

            "You do me great honor," Rhain replied.  He turned to the Italian king.  "What say you, King Giovanni?"

            "Italy finds herself to be in a delicate position," the Italian king declared, his accent very thick.  "We have many interests in France and Spain and declaring war against either would be a detriment to our well-being."

            "France shall use you as her pawn," King Ludwig declared and Rhain was somewhat taken aback at his assertiveness.  "Hesitation is for the weak.  You do not wish to offend anyone but you cannot belong to both sides."

            The Italian king sniffed.  "Italy is not as eager for war as England and Germany appear to be."

            "Do not for one moment believe me eager for war," Rhain said, trying to control his anger.  "I want nothing more than peace and prosperity for my kingdom.  But am I to sit back idly and allow my father's death to go unavenged?  Would you not wish for your own son to take the same course of action as I am, King Giovanni?"

            The Italian king did not reply but looked as though he were mulling over Rhain's words.

            "What interest can France and Spain hold for you?  France's sovereign is a blackguard and a villain and Spain is on the brink of financial ruin.  Would not you rather align yourself with two financially sound countries, one led by a noble sense of filial duty and the other led by the desire to seek justice for its friends?"  Ludwig asked.

            Rhain could see that the Italian king was not fully convinced and he knew that King Giovanni was waiting for an offer of money.  The young king knew it would take hours of negotiation and offers of trade to win the Italian king to their cause, but he knew that Italy would eventually be won over.  Its economy was also on the brink of disaster and so of course it would wish to ally itself with two economically strong countries.  However, King Giovanni was playing his cards close to his chest, waiting to see what offers would be put on the table.  Rhain knew he could probably call the Italian king's bluff if he wanted but he had neither the time nor the patience to do so.  He would make some concessions to the Italian king in order to gain the man's military power.  It would be a worthwhile sacrifice and would firmly bind the Italian king to him.

            After hours of exhausting and delicate negotiations, Germany and England managed to come up with a solution that was appealing to Italy and palatable to them.  The three kings then signed a treaty and a declaration of their alliance, which would be sent to the kings of France and Spain.  By the time they finished, there was only an hour left before the feast and the men parted to return to their chambers to dress.  Rhain rushed through his routine so that he could see Keelin and tell her the good news before the feast.

*********

            When Keelin's ladies admitted Rhain into her presence chamber, Keelin could immediately see by the look on Rhain's face that the news was good.  She hurriedly dismissed her ladies and then turned all of her attention to Rhain.

            "Germany and Italy have allied themselves with England," he told her.  "We have signed a treaty and a declaration of our alliance to send to the French and Spanish kings."

            "Oh, thank God," Keelin said.

            Rhain's expression sobered.  "Do you know what this means?"

            "Aye," Keelin replied, turning away from him so that he would not see the tears in her eyes or the way her lips trembled.  "You shall discuss your strategy for battle and you shall declare war on France and Spain presently."

            "Keelin," Rhain said.  He placed a hand on her elbow and tried to draw her toward him but she pulled away before turning sharply to face him.

            "Man has no idea of the strength of woman," she declared, passionately.  "Man thinks of his own strength as he rides off into war and glory while woman is left behind to suffer in silence and conduct herself as if it were any other ordinary day.  'Tis this waiting and wondering and hoping that is true strength."

            "Aye, what you say is true," Rhain said, gently.  He drew her into his arms.  "Only consider that 'twill not be easy for me either, my love." 

            Keelin was instantly contrite.  She was so scared and so anxious that she had forgotten what going away to this war would mean to Rhain.  So much was riding on his shoulders.  It was up to him to avenge his father, to protect her, and to ensure the security of the entire kingdom.

            "Forgive me, beloved.  I did not mean that 'twould be easy for you," she said, softly.

            "I know," he replied.  They were both silent for a moment, drawing comfort from their solitude and from being in one another's arms.  Finally, Rhain sighed and drew back from her.  "Come, my darling, we must away to the feast."

            Keelin's heart was full as they met up with the queen and with Edwyn before entering the great hall for the feast.  She appeared to be listening as Rhain gave a very pretty speech about his two new allies but her thoughts were thousands of miles away.  She thought of France and how Rhain would soon set sail for its godforsaken shores, of how Mordrid would be lying in wait for Rhain.  At times, Keelin thought that perhaps she had a touch of what some of the mystics called "vision."  She felt a horrible foreboding, making it impossible for her to relax.  She knew that something very bad was on the horizon and the vague sense of terror kept her on edge all night.

            It was a very long night and Keelin was extremely glad when it was over.  After the feast, Rhain and Edwyn left with the other kings to discuss their strategy and Keelin was left with her ladies and the queen.  The women retired to the queen's presence chamber where both Keelin's and the queen's ladies attempted to distract them with music and games of chance.  

Finally, when Keelin could bear it no longer she whispered to the queen, "My lady, I wish to speak with you privately."

"Of course," the queen replied and it was impossible for Keelin to miss the anxious expression on her face.  "Thank you, ladies, you may return to your chambers," she said, turning to her ladies-in-waiting.  Keelin turned to hers and nodded, indicating that they should leave as well.  On her way out, Alinda caught Keelin's eye with a questioning look.  

"Later," Keelin mouthed to her.

            Once the ladies had left the chamber, Keelin turned to the queen with a nervous smile.  "My lady, I do not wish to increase your fears but I must speak with you.  I am very afraid of what is to happen in the next few days.  I have had an inescapable sense of fear throughout the day today."

            "We are all of us afraid," the queen said, taking Keelin's hand and patting it in a consoling manner.  "In my many years of life, I have seen my husband and my son ride off into more battles than I care to count.  You must learn, my dear, to bear it as well as possible for you will experience it many a time."

            Keelin rose impatiently from her chair and began to pace the chamber.  "Nay, 'tis not simply that.  There is something in the air, I can feel it.  Something is not quite right and I cannot for the life of me discover what it is."

            The queen rose from her chair and put her hands on Keelin's shoulder, gently steering her back to her seat.  "You are right, there is something in the air," she said, very gently.  "Everyone can feel the tension in the air.  Are you certain 'tis not simply this?"

            "I am certain," Keelin said.  She could feel her stomach clench painfully.  "I cannot help but feel that something is right before me but I am unable to see it clearly.  'Tis as if I have some information which I cannot grasp."

            "Come, my dear, you will worry yourself to madness.  I cannot pretend that this war will be easy for anyone but I cannot bear to see you like this.  I have found from my own experience that 'tis often better to suppress those fears which threaten to overtake us in favor of losing oneself in distraction.  I know it seems impossible but you will become good at it in time.  I certainly have."

            "Oh, my lady," Keelin said, grasping at the queen's hands desperately.  "How I shall need to depend on your counsel during this time.  I fear I am not comporting myself in the best manner."

            "Fret not," the queen said, in a soothing tone of voice.  She smiled at her future daughter-in-law.  "You comport yourself beautifully.  I fear the German king is half in love with you."

            Keelin blushed and smiled in turn.  "Nay, that is not true.  He is merely a very kind man who has shown a great deal of friendship toward Rhain, and toward us all."

            "Aye, with that I will agree," the queen said.  "'Tis a comfort to have such friends at this time."

            The two women were silent for a while.  It was growing late but Keelin knew she would not sleep a wink that night and she could see by the look in the queen's eye that she would not either.  Keelin was beginning to understand the necessity of ladies-in-waiting.  She knew that when she returned to her chamber she would require their assistance.  It would be their duty to remain awake with her throughout the night and to do whatever they could to distract her.  Keelin felt sorry for them and it bothered her to think of her having to disturb their sleep for her own sake but she knew that they were glad to do it.  To be a lady-in-waiting for a member of the royal family was something indeed.  It presented a woman with a great deal of status and also procured her the opportunity of meeting many rich and powerful potential husbands.  Aside from all that, Keelin's ladies were extremely good-natured young women and Keelin felt that they truly cared about her.

            Keelin remained with the queen for another hour.  The two of them stitched in silence before Keelin finally pretended to yawn, professing her fatigue to the queen.  As she left, the queen embraced Keelin very tightly.

            "What a comfort 'tis to me to have such a daughter at such a time," she said.

            Keelin could feel her eyes fill with tears at the woman's kindness.  "And what a comfort to me to have such a mother," she replied.

            "You are a blessing, Keelin.  Not only to Rhain but also to myself."

            "Nay, my lady.  'Tis I who am blessed.  God protect you and may you slumber well."

            "God bless you, my dear," the queen replied.

            Keelin walked out of the chamber and found that her ladies were waiting in the corridor.  They escorted her back to her chamber, all the while trying to suppress their yawns.  Keelin felt as though her feet were made of lead.  She was physically exhausted but too mentally troubled to surrender to repose.

            "I am afraid, ladies, that I require your services tonight," she told them when they reached her chamber.

            "Of course, my lady," Miranda said.

            "We shall stay awake with you every night, if you require it," Alinda chimed in.  Diana and Catherine nodded their assent.  

            "Let us hope that shall not be necessary," Keelin sighed.  She smiled at the ladies and they smiled back at her.

            The night passed slowly and, despite their best efforts, Keelin's ladies were not able to remain awake the whole night but Keelin did not mind.  She enjoyed their carefree banter, their stories, the music they played but she was glad for some peace after a time.  She spent a good part of the night lying in her giant bed; staring up at the canopy and watching her breath appear in white puffs as the night slowly wore away.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: **So here it is, another update.  I'm on a roll!

**rp: **I promised myself that I would not do this when I wrote my own story but, I lied.  You're right, Keelin has adapted very well.  The whole subplot with her new position is rather condensed because this story is already quite long and I didn't want to get into too much detail about that.  It's at 213 pages in Word format and is not yet finished.  :)  I'm glad you like good King Ludwig, though.  He's one of my favorite characters in the story.

**Nadia:** Thank you for all the encouraging reviews!  It's flattering that I'm distracting you from your studying but not too much, I hope.  I wouldn't want you to not do as well on your exams because of this story.  And, yes, I am on vacation this week.  Basically, I work a really crappy job right now.  My only purpose in staying there is to save up money for when hubby and I have our baby then I'll be a stay at home mommy.  I've only got three more months of work to go!  Once I stay home, I'll be trying to do as much writing as possible, as that's my real love in life.

**Chapter 33**

            It was not long before war was declared.  Rhain had known all along that France was aching for a fight and they had not disappointed him.  They broke all trade agreements with Germany and Italy as soon as they received news of the alliance.  Naturally, the next step was for them to declare war and to incite minor skirmishes with English, German, and Italian traders in France.  As soon as Rhain received word, he began to gather his troops and supplies and to prepare them for the voyage to France.

            Keelin was unusually silent during the days of preparation and Rhain could see from the look in her eye that she was extremely frightened.  He knew that this was the cause of her silence.  She did not want to burden him with her worries.

            The night before he left, Rhain took his dinner in his chamber with her.  He had been locked in meetings all the day long and had not had a single glimpse of her.  Seeing her now made his heart bleed.  She was wearing a green velvet gown that was very complimentary to the tone of her skin and the elaborate arrangement of her hair, but her face was very pale.  After nearly an hour of watching her push her food around on her plate, Rhain pushed his own plate away and stood.

            "Come, I can bear this no longer.  You must tell me what is on your mind," he said to her.  

            She glanced at him and quickly looked away, but he did not miss the glimmer of tears in her eyes.  "Nay, I will not," she said, quietly.  "I will not burden you with my fears."

            Rhain felt his heart soften.  He walked over to her side of the table and took her hands in his.  "Keelin, I know you are frightened.  I am frightened as well.  'Tis only natural.  I cannot bear to see you like this and to know that there is something you are concealing from me."

            "There is nothing, really," she told him, still avoiding his gaze.  "'Tis merely that I have had the unsettling feeling that something is right before my eyes but I am unable to see it."

            The prince felt a sense of alarm at her words.  "'Tis nothing," he said, trying to sound certain.

            "Something is wrong," she insisted, flatly.  She turned her face to his suddenly.  "Oh, beloved, only promise me you will take good care of yourself while you are gone and that you will be always on your guard."

            "I swear to you that I shall," he told her, stroking her cheek.

            "I shall not be easy until you return," she told him.

            "And return I shall," he said, deliberately making his voice light, "for I have the most beautiful angel who will await my return.  What is more, upon this return I shall wed this beautiful angel.  Do you think I would be foolish enough not to return?"

            Keelin smiled bravely.  "I am no angel," she said.

            "That I shall never believe," he told her.  "Come now, let us embrace.  I shall miss your embrace while I am gone and I would certainly return home as swiftly as possible were it merely to receive one single embrace from you."

            "When you return I shall never let you go," Keelin told him, rising and embracing him, as he requested.

            "That would present many interesting problems.  How would it be possible for us to be wed at our ceremony if you refuse to allow me to leave your embrace?" he asked her in a teasing tone.

            She smiled once more.  "'Twould make the situation difficult but I care not," she said.

            Rhain smiled and bent down to kiss her.  They were silent for several moments, exchanging warm, loving kisses, each of them trying to contain their desperation.

            "My memories of such kisses shall keep me warm at night," he whispered huskily to her.  

            "They shall keep me warm as well," Keelin said, her voice deliciously throaty.

            Rhain felt a flash of longing that was so severe he had to clench his teeth against it.  He fought to keep his emotions in check.  He wanted her so badly at that moment, wanted to carry her off into his bed, but he knew that now was not the time.

            Needing to put a little distance between them in order to keep his feelings in check, Rhain stepped back from her and began to trace the shape of her face with his fingertips.

            "I have something for you," she told him.  She reached into the small pouch that was hanging from her belt and produced a small box.  She held it out to him and he took it from her with a questioning look in his eye.

            "I wanted you to have a piece of me with you always, just as I always have a piece of you with me," she said.

            Rhain opened the box and found that it contained a ring.  It was expertly crafted with a band of thick gold and a round top that had been carved in a love knot motif.

            "Allow me," she said, reaching out and showing him a hidden button.  When she pressed it, the top of the ring came loose and, pushing it back, he saw that a lock of her hair tied with a tiny bit of satin rested within.  The hinge was set on the inside so that it was impossible to tell that there was a chamber within.  

            "Oh, Keelin," he said.  He was overcome with emotion.  Carrying this ring with him into battle would mean so much more than she could ever know.  He pulled her to him and embraced and kissed her once more, pouring all of his love for her into the kiss.  "Thank you," he said, simply.

            "May God keep you safe," she said to him.

            He now knew it was time to tell her the most difficult thing he could ever imagine telling her.  "I want you to know that, should I not return…"

            The king was unable to speak another word out before Keelin burst into violent sobs.  "Do not say such a thing!" she begged.

            Rhain pressed her head to his chest and let her sob.  He stroked her hair soothingly until she calmed and her tears subsided.  "My love, I must tell you this," he said, very very gently.  "I must know that you will be well provided for should something happen to me.  I have arranged for you to receive a living and I have stipulated that you are to remain in the castle, should you wish it.  If you decide to marry, you will receive a generous dowry."

            "Marry!" she exclaimed, pulling away from him.  Her face was aghast.  "Do you honestly think that I could marry another if you were not to return?"

            "It would be my wish for you to find someone to love and protect you as I could not," he said, as gently as possible.

            Keelin shook her head vigorously.  "Nay, I could never marry another.  Speak no more of this."

            She turned away from him and walked over to one of the windows.  She clung to the tapestry that covered it and he could see her shoulders shaking as she began to cry quietly.

            "'Tis not easy for me to speak of this," he said, softly.  "But, Keelin, I must think of you or I would have no rest.  How could I go into battle knowing that I did not provide for you if something were to happen to me?  I would do anything in my power to see to it that you would be safe and happy and that you would be surrounded by people who love and care about you."

            "I refuse to think of it," she said, her voice choked.  "'Tis unbearable."  
            Rhain walked over to her and took her in his arms once again.  "Then do not think of it," he said.  "I only wanted you to know that you will be secure."

            "I shall not be secure until you are safely back at home and France is defeated."

            "Then I shall see to it that both occur."  
            "Swear it to me," Keelin begged, her voice desperate.

            "I swear it on my father's honor," Rhain said.

            "Then 'twill be true," she said and he could feel the tension begin to ebb out of her body.

            She did not remain in his chamber much longer.  Rhain could see that she was exhausted and he took her back to her chamber and made her promise that she would rest that night.  Before leaving her, he gave her a long, lingering kiss, closing himself off to every sound and sensation other than the feel of her kiss.  He wanted to memorize her kiss, her face, the sound of her voice so that he could think of them at night, so that he would be able to block out the screams of dying men.  He wanted to take something pure and beautiful with him into the horrors of battle.

*********

            When Keelin rose the next morning, it was almost as if she could hear the throbbing beat of war drums surrounding her.  They sounded like her heartbeat, rapid and desperate.  She once again had the sickening sensation that something was horribly wrong.  It was so strong that it caused her to bend over double and gasp for breath.  She did so as quietly as possible, so that her ladies would not hear her.  Keelin knew that the women would presumably keep her secrets, that they had been specifically chosen for their trustworthiness as well as their suitability, but there were some secrets that Keelin was unwilling to share with anyone else.  She was determined to put on as much of a brave face as possible and to do all she could to conceal her inner turmoil.

            Catherine gently called out to her, "My lady, are you awake?"

            "Aye," Keelin replied, wearily.

            "My lady, you must dress so that you may break fast with His Highness," Miranda's voice piped in.

            Keelin pushed the curtains aside, allowing her ladies to see her.  "Has Alinda laid out my gown?"

            "Aye, my lady," Diana responded.

            "Very well," Keelin said, relieved not to have to make what seemed such a frivolous choice at the moment.

            "Are you ready to rise?" Miranda asked.

            "Aye," Keelin said, pulling herself from the bed.  "Where is Alinda?"

            "She has gone to fetch your bath," Catherine told her.

            At just that moment, the door opened and Alinda poked her head into the chamber.  "Ah, you are awake," she said, seeing Keelin.

            "Aye," Keelin said, running a weary hand through her hair.

            "Come now, your bath is ready."

            Keelin rose from the bed and moved into her dressing chamber.  She dismissed her ladies and sank gratefully into the warm, lavender-scented water.  There was little time to linger but she did all she could to allow the soothing scent and temperature of the water help to clear her head.  She felt slightly better by the time she pulled herself out of the bath, drying herself off, and then donning her wrap.  Her ladies reentered the chamber and helped her to dress before arranging her hair and decorating her with gems.  When they were finished, she wore a gown of deep crimson velvet with an embroidered gold ribbon detailing the square neckline, the bell sleeves, and the hemline.  A gold rope belt was slung over her slim hips.  Her hair had been arranged in an elaborate coil at the base of her neck, with a tail of satiny curls that tumbled down her back.  She wore a necklace fashioned of gold and magnificent garnets and matching earrings.  The king arrived for her just as her ladies finished.

            The future queen's heart was full as she gazed on her beloved.  He wore a forest green velvet doublet over his blousy white shirt and a pair of tight green velvet breeches.  A green velvet cape trimmed in ermine and bearing an enormous, elaborately worked gold clasp was thrown carelessly over his shoulders.  His hair had been carefully tied back and his crown perched upon his brow.  A gold and emerald chain had been arranged over his shoulders and a large gold royal medallion dangled in the center of his chest.  The look on his face was grim.

            "Come, my darling," he said to Keelin, offering her his arm.

            "Good morrow," she said softly, as she accepted it.

            "Good morrow," he replied, pausing for a moment to kiss her softly.  She knew by the manner in which his jaw muscles spasmed that he was trying very hard to keep his emotions in check.

            He led her into the great hall, where they dined with assorted nobility and the realm's most important knights.  The mood was sober and a strange hush hung over the chamber.  More than once, Keelin spotted noble women making the sign of the cross and folding their hands in silent prayer.  She understood just how they felt.

            When the meal was over, Rhain retired to his chamber to change into his armor for his sendoff.  Keelin paced the floor of her chamber, her ladies banished to another part of the castle as she tried to keep the tears from flowing down her cheeks.  She heard a soft rap at the door.  She was curious, for Rhain never knocked on her door as he was always announced before his entrance.  Keelin opened the door and was surprised to see Edwyn standing before her.  Rhain's most faithful knight and friend was already in his armor and wearing his crimson surcoat with its embroidered gold lion emblem.

            "Edwyn," Keelin said, unable to conceal the surprise in her voice.

            "Forgive me, my lady, if I have disturbed you," he said, darting a somewhat nervous-looking glance around the corridor.

            "Please, come in," Keelin said, pulling the door open wide to admit him.

            He entered the chamber hurriedly, his eyes scanning it just as they had done in the corridor.  Wordlessly, Keelin closed her door and then turned to face him.

            "My lady, I wanted you to know that I will do everything in my power to protect His Majesty," he said, tugging at his surcoat in a nervous gesture.

            "I have no doubt that you will," Keelin said, touched that he had come to reassure her.

            "I cannot pretend that I do not feel much wariness at the thought of this war with France but I am certain of one thing and that is that I shall see to it that His Majesty returns."

            "How could I doubt it when he shall have such a protector as you?" Keelin asked, her voice warm.

            Edwyn looked into her eyes.  "My lady, I beg of you to understand that I would lay down my life for His Majesty.  I have sworn my life in service to Rhain, ever since we were young children.  I love him as my own brother and I know how important he is to this land."

            Keelin studied Edwyn for a moment before replying.  "Is it my troubled thoughts that you seek to put to rest or your own?" she asked him.

            Edwyn sighed and turned away from her for a moment, walking over to one of her windows and gazing out.  "You have seen through me."

            "What is it that troubles you, Edwyn?  You seem so certain that no harm will come to Rhain so what more have you to fear?" she asked.

            "I fear not for Rhain's safety for I am certain in my heart of hearts that all will turn out well with him.  Rather, 'tis you I fear for," he said, as gently as possible, turning to face her as he spoke the words.

            In spite of his gentleness, Keelin could taste the metallic flavor of fear in her mouth.  "Why should you fear for me?  I shall be here in the castle, in England.  Can there be a safer place for me?  Certainly I am far safer here than Rhain shall be on the battlefield."

            Edwyn crossed the chamber and took her hands in his.  "My lady, I beg of you to practice the utmost caution.  Trust no one other than the queen for as long as we are gone.  Do not allow yourself to be left alone and do not stray from the castle walls."

            "You alarm me, Edwyn," Keelin said, frankly.  She could feel her heart begin to pound in her chest.

            "I only hope that by being alarmed you will be on your guard," Edwyn said.  "At times like these, it does not pay to trust anyone.  There are always intrigues afoot and you yourself know that if Mordrid wishes to attack Rhain in the most efficient means possible, he will do whatever he can to get to you."

            Keelin turned her face from Edwyn's, willing herself to be strong.  "How I hate to think of myself as being the source of Rhain's weakness."

            "Alas, you are," Edwyn said, truthfully.

            "I would not do anything to compromise the safety of this land or that of Rhain.  Should something happen to me, I would gladly sacrifice my life for the safety of this realm."

            "Aye, I know," Edwyn said, his voice a mixture of admiration and soothing tones.  "I know you are fine and brave, my lady.  I know you are resolved to do what you must for your country.  I am asking you to understand that such a decision is not so easily made for Rhain.  Imagine yourself in his position.  Could you choose to sacrifice the life of the man you love?"

            Keelin was shocked by the sense of his words.  She had never really thought of what it would mean for Rhain to have to make such a decision.  For her, there had been no second thoughts.  When it came right down to it, she would lay down her life for her country and for her beloved.  She had been foolish enough to think that there was safety in this knowledge.  She had never before thought of the repercussions if she were to be captured and Rhain were to be forced to make such a decision.  Keelin knew that if she had to make such a choice, it would be one that would almost surely kill her.  How could she possibly choose to sacrifice the love of her life without wishing to die alongside him?

            "I have never thought of that," Keelin said, her voice faltering and her face turning pale.

            "I beg of you not to say anything of this to Rhain.  He would be most angry with me if he knew I had alarmed you in this manner.  I merely wish to beg of you your assurances that you will be most scrupulous and diligent in ensuring your own safety."

            "You have my word that I will be," Keelin replied.

            "Thank you, my lady.  I am much comforted."  He took her hands in his once more and pressed them gently.  "Watch after yourself and Her Majesty while we are gone."

            "I will," Keelin promised.

            "I must go before Rhain finds me here," Edwyn told her.

            Keelin nodded, too overcome to speak.  The knight slipped from the chamber, closing the door soundlessly behind him.  Keelin was truly shaken by his words and she wrapped her arms around herself, as if to stop the trembling of her own body.  She had never before realized just how much was at stake because of this war.  She would have to virtually imprison herself in order to keep herself safe.

            Soon, much too soon, Rhain arrived at her door.  They shared a few brief kisses before they were forced to move out to the docks.  Once there, Rhain gave a speech of reassurance to his people, his voice resounding in the still air.  Keelin kept up a brave face as best she could.  Finally, the time came for Rhain to board his ship.  He embraced and kissed his mother before turning to Keelin.

            "Just as before, I shall return to you," he vowed to her.

            "And just as before, I wish you Godspeed.  I shall await your return," she replied, unable to keep the tears from misting her eyes over.

            "Watch over my mother as well as yourself," he said to her.

            "You have my word," she whispered fiercely.  It took every ounce of her self-control to prevent the tears from slipping down her cheeks.

            "Fare thee well, my most cherished love."

            "Fare thee well, my own darling love," she replied.

            Keelin fervently wished that Rhain could kiss her again but she knew that they could not make such a display in front of so many people.  Instead, he lowered his lips to her hand and gave it a chivalrous kiss.  She, in turn, handed him a token to take with him into battle, in this case one of her scented handkerchiefs.  The gesture seemed paltry to her, for she wished she could have given Rhain something more substantial, such as an unbreakable shield with which to defend himself.  The giving of the handkerchief was done solely as a show for the people.

                As the men turned and boarded the ship, the queen reached out and grasped Keelin's hand in her own.  Keelin could hear her future mother-in-law's sobbing breaths as the sails were unfurled and the ships began to glide off into the early morning sun.  The queen choked on a violent sob and Keelin gently steered her away from the crowd, leading her into their closed carriage.  Once inside, the queen gave free vent to her tears and, exhausted by her own efforts at controlling her emotions, Keelin soon joined her.


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34**

            The fighting in France was bloody and intense.  It seemed that for every battle the English and their allies won, they lost another.  It was an intensely frustrating uphill battle and with every day that passed Rhain was more and more consumed with hatred for Mordrid.  The former earl had been at many battles, but always those that were fought with the German king at the helm.  Rhain knew that Mordrid was purposely staying away from battling him in order to increase Rhain's rage and tension.

            Rhain's only source of pleasure was in the letters he received from Keelin.  They were extremely rare, as it was exceedingly difficult for dispatches to be smuggled in past the French navy, but that only made them all the more precious.  Rhain had read and reread each and every one until he had nearly worn the ink away and the vellum practically disintegrated between his fingers.  Keelin's letters always strove to be upbeat, although Rhain knew his love well enough to recognize the strain of melancholy that flowed beneath her words.  Still, they were always very long and full of words of love and they helped to give Rhain some much-needed strength.  He would read them at night and then reminisce about his beloved's kiss before falling asleep and waking refreshed.

            Edwyn rarely left Rhain's side during their battles.  Some of Rhain's best knights had been injured and even killed doing all they could to protect him but Edwyn seemed invincible.  His worst injuries were always no more than a scratch and Rhain grew convinced that his friend was truly blessed.  The thought gave him reassurance that their cause was good and that God was looking out for them.

            Winter began to melt away into spring but the season held precious little beauty for Rhain.  It was hard to notice the wildflowers blooming in the hills when bloodied bodies lay crumpled on the ground as far as the eye could see.  Every army suffered heavy casualties and it was not long before the German king was amongst the injured.  Although his injuries were serious, he was alive and it was believed that he would pull through as long as he remained under the care of the best physicians possible.  Rhain dispatched his own personal physician to care for his friend.  It would truly be a great blow to Rhain if he were to lose Ludwig in the war.

            After a while, the Italian king began to lose interest in the war, especially as the paltry number of soldiers he had contributed to the war and the size of his purse began to dwindle.  It all culminated in early April when he signed a peace treaty with Spain and France behind Rhain's back and immediately withdrew his troops.  When Rhain heard the news, he was enraged.  He imposed immediate sanctions against the Italian king, denying him all trade opportunities and Ludwig soon followed suit.  Rhain was satisfied that the Italian king would suffer as trade with the nearly impoverished Spain and the financially compromised France could not be very fruitful.

Another man might have felt defeated at the loss of one of his allies, but Rhain was more determined than ever to stop the French.  Whenever he felt the least bit of doubt, he would think of his mother and his beloved Keelin.  He would think of what would happen to his people if he did not defend them.  Most often, however, he remembered his father and that gave him the strength to go on.  If King Arthur's own son could not avenge him, who would?  Rhain and his father may have had their differences in life but Rhain would stop at nothing to do his duty by his slain father.

            Fortunately, after the departure of the Italians, the tide began to turn and England and Germany began to win every battle they fought against the French and Spanish.  Slowly but surely, Rhain and Ludwig won region after region and town after town in France as they inexorably, albeit slowly, pushed their way toward Paris.  Ludwig was still not well enough to ride in battle but he began to heal rapidly from his injuries and soon took over command of his army once more.  He was a brilliant military strategist and even though confined to his bed, contributed immeasurably to many of the victories that England and Germany began to enjoy.  Rhain began to hope that he would soon be able to return home to the arms of his beloved Keelin, that he would soon be able to make her his bride.

            In late May, Rhain received another precious letter from Keelin but this one was different from her other letters.  In her other letters, she had always pretended to be cheerful for his sake but she did not attempt to hide her fears and apprehensions in this one.  The letter read:

                        My Darling Rhain,

I cannot pretend to be unaffected today.  We have had such dreadful news as of late as to trouble me exceedingly.  We have been told that French and Spanish armies outnumber those of England and Germany by two to one or better.  The latest news also suggests that the king of Italy is considering uniting with the kings of France and Spain in an attempt to defeat you and King Ludwig.  What is more, we have heard reports that King Ludwig was most horribly wounded and that he barely clings to life.  I hear my ladies whispering when they think I am sleeping and they say that the German king shall soon die.  

But, most troubling of all, there are rumors that you are gravely ill.  'Tis these rumors that leave me the most sick at heart.  I cannot bear to think of you in a hostile foreign land languishing in the throes of a most dreadful illness.  

There is some disquiet here now, some uncertainty as to the line of succession.  Some say that several of the dukes are quietly stockpiling arms in anticipation of a battle for the throne.  

Please, my dearest love, forgive me for troubling you with such news.  I am certain you must have innumerable anxieties of your own but I truly fear for the welfare of your kingdom.  'Tis my fondest hope that you will send official word that all is well with you and with King Ludwig and that you are certain to return victorious.  Your lady mother bravely faces the crowds once each week but they seem to think she conceals something.  I believe they will only be at ease if they hear assurances that were written by your own hand.  Forsooth, I shall only be at ease if I see them written in your own hand as well.  My thoughts and prayers are with you constantly.  Have a care, my love.

                        Faithfully yours,

                        Keelin

            Rhain set his mouth in a grim line.  He sent one of his pages to fetch Edwyn and the king was relieved to see that his old friend came immediately.

            "What is the matter?" Edwyn asked, breathlessly.  Rhain could tell that he had run straight to the king's tent.

            "I have received a letter from Keelin," Rhain said, his words crisp.

            Edwyn studied him with concern.  "She is not ill, is she?"

            "Nay, but it seems that many of the people believe that I am."

            "Whatever do you mean?"

            Rhain thrust the missive toward Edwyn.  "Read it."

            There was silence for a few moments while Edwyn read Keelin's letter.  Rhain watched as the expression on his friend's face changed to one of grave seriousness and concern.  When Edwyn had finished reading, he handed the letter back to Rhain and let out a great breath.

            "This is most troubling indeed," Edwyn said.

            "I must do as Keelin suggests.  I must write a proclamation to be read to the entire kingdom.  I must do all I can to dispel such rumors," Rhain said.

            "I am troubled by the nature of these rumors.  'Tis not unusual for word to circulate that the king is sick or injured but it troubles me that there are such a variety of rumors circulating and that they are so detailed," Edwyn said.

            "That is what troubles me as well," Rhain said.  "I believe that Mordrid and the French king have sent spies into my kingdom to stir up trouble."

            "That would seem to be a very real possibility."

            Rhain's face looked as if it were made of granite.  "If 'tis true, then my mother and Keelin may be in grave danger.  I shall send a letter with my proclamation begging her to have a care for her safety and that of my mother.  I think it wisest if neither of them stirs from the castle walls at present."

            "That is wise," Edwyn agreed.  

            The Secretary of State fetched Rhain's writing utensils and waited as his friend composed the proclamation and then the letter to Keelin.  Rhain gave each to Edwyn to read over and Edwyn expressed his approval of both.  Rhain dripped wax onto each, imprinting them with the royal signet ring he wore on his right hand.  Once finished, they were given to a messenger with orders for them to be dispatched to England post haste.  Now all Rhain and Edwyn could do was wait and hope that they would reach home safely.  In spite of his best efforts, Rhain could not quite squelch the uneasiness that seemed to have taken up residence in his stomach.

*********

            Keelin paced the floors of the castle unceasingly.  She grew nearly as thin as she had been when she had first arrived at the castle.  Her skin grew increasingly pale and the dark purple smudges under her eyes clearly showed that she did not rest.  Her ladies tried constantly to coax her out of her worries with little success.  When she was with the queen, Keelin would often sit with the other woman for hours without either of them speaking a word.  The queen's appearance mirrored that of her future daughter-in-law.

            She was pacing in this manner one day when Alinda stole into the chamber and closed the door soundlessly behind her.  She glanced furtively all around the chamber.  Keelin opened her mouth to speak but Alinda raised a finger to her lips, hushing Keelin.  Alinda's eyes began to dart around the chamber once more and she skulked along the walls, tiptoeing up to every tapestry and throwing it aside.  Keelin began to feel increasingly alarmed at her friend's behavior.

            "Alinda," she began.

            "Shhh," Alinda hushed fiercely.  "Not a word."  

            The raven-haired woman continued to search the chamber until she was apparently satisfied.  Once finished, she stepped swiftly over to Keelin and took her friend's arm firmly in her hand.        

            "We must leave immediately," she whispered to Keelin.

            Keelin's eyes widened in alarm.  "Alinda, you know we must stay within the castle walls.  'Tis safest."

            Alinda glanced around the chamber once more before speaking.  "I have had word from Sir Edwyn.  He has received word from his spies that the king of France's men have been spotted near the castle.  'Tis believed that they have infiltrated the castle by posing as servants.  You and Her Majesty are in grave danger and I have been entrusted with removing you from the castle immediately."

            "But what about Her Majesty?  I must go to her," Keelin said, turning and attempting to go to the door but Alinda held on fast.

            "Nay!" she hissed.  "Her Majesty's lady, Margaret, has been charged with removing Her Majesty from the castle.  'Tis too dangerous for the two of you to leave together.  You shall soon meet up at the abbey at Nottingdale."

            Keelin felt the icy fingers of pure terror brush against her spine.  Her body began to quake with fear.  "What do we do?" she asked her friend.

            "We must go now.  There is no time to gather any of your things.  They may always be recovered later.  What is most important is to get you to safety."

            "Of course," Keelin replied.  She felt faint and she stumbled as she attempted to take a step.

            "Courage," Alinda whispered to her.  "You must be brave.  Think of His Majesty."

            Keelin nodded, grateful for her friend's words.  The image of Rhain gave Keelin the strength she needed to gather her wits about her.

            "Follow me," Alinda instructed, taking Keelin's wrist and pulling her to the door.  They stole through the corridors and out into the forest.  The rational part of her mind knew that their progress had been very swift but it seemed to Keelin that the journey through the castle and out into the forest took ten times as long as it should have.

            The two women ran until Keelin felt as if her lungs would burst.  She was relieved when she and Alinda reached a clearing and Alinda suddenly stopped.  Keelin stood and attempted to catch her breath while her friend moved about the clearing, looking for signs that they had been followed.  At length, she was satisfied and she seated herself on an overturned log, indicating that Keelin should do the same.

            "What do we do now?" Keelin asked, still panting a little, as much from the exhaustion that had been creeping up on her during the past few weeks as from the exertion of running from the castle and into the forest.

            "We wait," Alinda said, looking around once more.  "Your transport will be here soon.  We will disguise ourselves and then we will make for Nottingdale."

            "How long will the trip take?" Keelin asked, anxiety squeezing at her heart.

            "That depends on what transpires but it should hopefully take no more than two days," Alinda told her.

            "What of Her Majesty.  Is she safe?"

            "I do not know.  We shall not have any word until we reach Nottingdale."

            Keelin wrung her hands nervously.  "And what of Rhain?  Shall we have word of him as well when we reach the abbey?" she asked.

            "Shhh," Alinda suddenly whispered.  She grabbed Keelin and put a hand over her friend's mouth, stopping Keelin's talk of Rhain.  Alinda pulled Keelin into the trees just off the clearing, keeping her hand clamped over her friend's mouth as she listened intently.  Keelin's eyes widened as she heard the faint sounds of horses and of men's voices.

            Alinda listened carefully, remaining silent and not moving the slightest inch.  Keelin's panicked mind told her that it was as if her friend had turned to stone, but she pushed the ridiculous thought aside and strove to remain as still as Alinda.

            As the minutes passed, the sounds of the voices and the horses drew nearer and nearer until Keelin was certain that the clearing was their destination.  Still, Alinda did not move into the clearing nor did she draw Keelin any further into the forest, so Keelin was uncertain of what to think.

            A bird called and Keelin felt Alinda's body tense.  Then, to her surprise, Alinda answered the call with one of her own.  The bird called again and Keelin realized that it was actually one of the men and that the whistle was a signal.

            "'Tis safe," Alinda said quietly, removing her hand from Keelin's mouth and standing.

            Keelin nearly cried out in relief as she was finally able to stand and stretch her cramping legs.  In spite of her anxiety, she could feel a smile of relief begin to spread over her face.  Rhain's men were here to rescue her and she was certain that they would carry her into Nottingdale safely, where she could be with the queen once again.  The smile was still on her face as she stepped into the clearing behind Alinda.

            The world seemed to stand still for a moment as Keelin caught her first glimpse of the group of men.  She immediately sensed that something was amiss and she froze in her tracks.  As she scanned their faces, she realized that she had never before seen any of them in her life.  Over the course of her time in the castle, and especially once Rhain had announced their engagement, Keelin had met or at least knew by sight almost every single guard and knight in Rhain's castle.  Not only did she not recognize these men, there was something about their features that was unfamiliar to her.  To her profound terror, one of them turned and said something to another and Keelin realized that they were speaking French.

            "Alinda," she said, her voice a hoarse whisper.  She took a step back toward the protection of the clearing.

            Her friend did not answer her and Keelin cast a frantic glance around but she could not see Alinda.  The men were beginning to close in on her and so she did the only thing she could think of—she turned and began to flee into the forest.

            Keelin probably knew the forest better than anyone in the kingdom with the exception of the king.  She had spent a great deal of time there and she knew its nooks and crannies, knew where each trail led.  She should have been easily able to elude the men and it was with both dismay and confusion that she heard the telltale sounds of their pursuit.  Random thoughts began to flash through her head.  Was the queen really at Nottingdale or was she still safe in her chamber?  Was Rhain dead?  Would she have been able to evade the men if she were wearing her cream gown and a pair of boots rather than the ruby red silk gown with train and matching slippers she was wearing?  She knew that her physical and mental exhaustion put her at a great disadvantage but her mind kept clinging to the belief that the smallness of her stature and her knowledge of the forest would be enough to save her.  Keelin barely even felt the branches tearing at her hair, her skin, her gown, as she flung herself desperately through the trees.  She felt like she had been running forever.

            Suddenly, one of the men leapt through the air and wrapped his arms around her waist, tackling her soundly.  She hit the ground with a thud and a moan, her head bouncing against the mossy terrain and striking a tree root.  Every part of her body seemed to hurt as the man who had tackled her pinned her to the ground.  She tried valiantly to fight, flailing and clawing and biting but she had precious little energy left and the fall had knocked the wind out of her.  Her head also felt slightly dizzy as a result of hitting the ground.  She glanced around her and saw that she had only made it about a hundred feet or so into the woods before she had been captured.  She wanted to cry for shame.

            "Alinda!" she shouted, as the other men drew nearer, babbling away in rapid-fire French.  She managed to kick one of them in the shin.  "Alinda!" she howled, the sound of her voice resounding throughout the forest.

            The men's French grew more urgent and her tackler switched his hold so that the bridge of skin between his thumb and forefinger was now pressing down onto her throat, making it impossible to speak and nearly impossible to breathe.  She felt the sense of dizziness increasing and she frantically began to flail once more, which only served to make her black out for a second.  She regained consciousness but her peripheral vision had begun to go black once again when one of the other men pressed a damp cloth against her face.  The fumes choked her for a second and she felt a sense of primal terror tear through her body before, mercifully, the blackness took over.


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35**

Days passed and Rhain heard no further word from Keelin.  He also did not receive any letters from the queen.  In fact, he received no dispatch of any kind from England.

            "The French must have captured one of our ships," Rhain told Edwyn grimly.

            Edwyn frowned.  "We have had no word of it.  Perhaps Keelin and your mother are simply too busy seeing that your proclamation is spread to have time to write."

            "Then why do I not have any report at all?" Rhain demanded.  "There is no word from even my head of the guard at the castle.  I do not like this, Edwyn.  Something is wrong."

            "Come, Rhain, you are letting your anxieties get the best of you.  You cannot afford to lose your head now.  We are making a great deal of progress against the French and they will use whatever means necessary to stop us.  You must not allow yourself to become distracted.  You must be prepared for anything."

            Rhain ran a hand through his hair wearily and sank down onto a chair.  He put his elbows on his knees and dropped his head into his hands, shaking it slightly.

            "So this is what it was like for my father every time," he said, his voice coming out muffled but that did nothing to conceal the weariness in it.  "I never appreciated what it meant for him.  I have fought in many battles but none so trying as this.  This is how it feels to be Atlas and to have the world resting upon your shoulders."

            "No one ever said 'twas easy to be king," Edwyn said softly.     

            Rhain chuckled quietly, raising his head out of his hands and looking at his friend.  "Nay, my father merely made it appear so."

            "I am certain that your father had his worries and anxieties of which you knew nothing," Edwyn said, gently.

            "I am certain that he did as well," Rhain responded with a sigh.  "What a fool I was.  I had no interest in being king, as if it were a simple decision such as what to eat at my morning meal.  I had no sense of responsibility, no sense of what it meant to be born into royalty or what it meant to have the welfare of thousands upon thousands of people resting upon my shoulders.  I never showed my father the respect he deserved."

            "Your father was not perfect," Edwyn reminded him gently.  "He was a great and venerable man but do not make him a saint in your mind and convince yourself that you could never be as good a man as he was.  He was a compassionate and fair ruler but he was not always so compassionate and fair when it came to his own wife and son."

            "I know that you are right, Edwyn, but I fear that perhaps the same will be true of me in the end.  Does a king really have time to think of his wife and children when he must think of the needs and hopes and worries of all of his people?"

            "You will have time for them," Edwyn said, firmly, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder.  "And you shall have a wife who will help you with the needs and hopes and worries of your people.  I believe that you and she are destined for greatness in your reign but I am certain that you are destined for true happiness and joy in your marriage."

            "Thank you, my old friend.  You have always known just what to say to give me the hope I need to carry on," Rhain said.

            "And you have always given me the hope I need to carry on," Edwyn said, with a warm smile.  "I know that everything has happened to you very fast, that you suddenly became king, and suddenly became betrothed, and suddenly became embroiled in war but I know that you shall pass this test of your strength and fortitude."

            "I have one clear advantage over my father, that of a friend whom I trust and love as a brother."

            Edwyn ducked his head and Rhain was struck once again at the incongruous image of so giant of a man being so easily embarrassed by a little praise.  It made Rhain smile and helped him to clear his head and focus his thoughts once again.

            One of the king's pages entered the tent, bowing before the king and his Secretary of State.  "Your Majesty, I have here a dispatch from the castle," the boy said, holding a small packet of vellum out to the king.  Rhain took the missive and dismissed the boy.

            "There," Edwyn said, satisfaction evident in his voice.  "You will read that and see that all of your fears were unfounded."

            "I certainly hope you are right," Rhain told his friend as he broke the wax seal.  He could see by the seal that the dispatch was from his palace guard and not his mother or Keelin.  He felt a sense of disappointment that the letter was from neither of the women but he also felt a sense of great relief at finally receiving some news from his kingdom.

            Rhain began to read the letter, the words not truly sinking in until he was halfway down the page.  As he began to realize just what it was the letter was trying to communicate, his heart began to race and his eyes skipped across the page, hungry for as much information in as little time possible.  And then, suddenly, everything was crystal clear.  Rhain leapt from his chair and issued a great howl from the very depths of his lungs.  His left hand clenched into a fist, crumpling the letter, and his right hand reached instinctively for the pommel of his sword.

            He turned and saw that Lord Edwyn's face was white as he studied his friend in concern.  Rhain knew that the only other time his friend had seen him react in such a manner was when the king had been slain.  Chest heaving, Rhain held his fist out to Edwyn and the other man gently pried the king's fingers back, freeing the letter.  Rhain could see Edwyn's eyes moving rapidly over the page and, if it were physically possibly, the other man seemed to grow even whiter.

            "Nay," Edwyn said, his voice scarcely more than a whisper.  "How is it possible?  How could the guard have let such a thing happen?"

            "I will see someone hang for this!" Rhain shouted, the words tearing savagely from his throat.  He began to pace like a caged animal, tugging a hand so forcefully through his hair that he actually pulled several strands of it right out of his scalp.  He barely felt the pain and he simply tossed the hairs aside.  He felt like tearing the entire tent apart, ripping it into shreds and then hacking the wooden poles to bits with his sword.  The king felt like jumping on his horse and racing straight out into the field, soothing his blood lust by burying his sword up to the hilt in the breasts of his enemies.  He had never felt so savage before, not even when he had watched his father killed before his own eyes.

            "Good God," Edwyn gasped.  He made a visible effort to pull himself together and he grabbed his friend firmly by the arm, stopping Rhain's restless movements.  "You must think, Rhain," he said, harshly.  "Do not react on rage alone or all will surely be lost.  You must know that this was all part of a plan to bring you down, that 'twas timed in such a manner as to seriously compromise the war that you are now certain to win."

            "Hell hath no bastard more evil than Mordrid," Rhain said.  He spat at the bitter taste the name left in his mouth.  Suddenly, the blood in his veins seemed to turn to ice as the terror set in.  He grabbed Edwyn, clutching his friend by the surcoat.  "Edwyn, do you think he will kill her?"

            Edwyn's gaze was full of compassion as he studied his friend.  "Nay, not at this time.  She is too valuable to him," he said, truthfully.

            Rhain slumped into his chair once again, laying his arms on his table and burying his face in them.  His shoulders began to shake convulsively as he gave vent to his fear and grief, the emotions ripping through him so powerfully that he was certain they would make him run mad.

            "If I lose her, I shall have nothing left," Rhain whispered.

            "You shall not lose her," Edwyn said, fiercely.  He moved over to his friend and forced the king to look up at him.  "We shall get her back.  I swear to you, Rhain, I will not see any harm come to her.  I shall stop at nothing to see to it that Keelin is returned safely to you."

            Edwyn sat down as his friend continued to weep.  Rhain tried to get his emotions under control, but he had already been at the breaking point.  The news of Keelin's capture had just sent him over the edge.  It was the realization of the greatest of his fears and he was so terrified that he felt as if his heart might give out and he might die right then and there.  He was only able to keep a grip on his sanity by reminding himself over and over that Keelin needed him, that he needed to keep his thoughts as clear as possible if there was to be any hope of her safe return to England.

            The letter had been carefully worded and it was clear that the head of his castle guard had agonized over every word.  However, there was no good way to express to the king that his beloved had been captured and with apparently little effort while she was supposed to be under the protection of some of the best guards in the country.  She had simply vanished one day.  The queen had sounded the alert when Keelin had failed to come to her chamber for dinner but, by that time, the guard was convinced that Keelin had been missing for several hours.  The last people to see her were her ladies and they attested to Keelin's presence at the midday meal but were unable to account for her whereabouts after that point.  The ladies also pointed out that Keelin's favorite lady-in-waiting, the maiden Alinda, was missing as well.  As Keelin's fondness for the forest was widely known, it was concluded that she and Alinda must have been out walking when they were taken.

            Rhain could not credit this explanation.  He had explicitly expressed to Keelin his desire that she remain within the castle walls.  He had written in no uncertain terms of his fear of what might happen to her if she were to quit the castle's protective sphere.  Rhain knew that it was impossible that Keelin would ignore his concerns.  She would not wish to trouble him needlessly.  The more he thought about it the more certain he became that something or someone must have lured Keelin outside of the castle walls and that this person or persons had done so without force.

            The king rose from his chair, beginning to pace once again.  "We will hear from Mordrid shortly, of that I am certain.  He would not have taken her had he not wished to use her capture against me.  I am certain that he relishes his capture of her and I am certain that he wishes to do her harm in the end, but I do not think he would have gone to the trouble of taking her were it not for our betrothal."

            "Aye, with that I do agree.  It would be far too much for him to risk if he were not certain he could capture you in the end by using Keelin's capture against you," Edwyn said.  He too began to pace around the tent, rubbing a hand across his forehead either because his head ached or because he was doing so in an unconscious attempt to help himself think more clearly.

            "He will not do anything as obvious as call me out to a duel and then ambush me.  I am certain that he has a well-laid trap and that he will lure me into it slowly."

            "Aye," Edwyn replied once again.  "But how are we to discover these lures?"

            Rhain shrugged and gripped his hair once again in frustration.  "How can I not allow myself to follow the lures?  I must get to Keelin, I must free her somehow.  Yet if I let myself fall into his trap we will both be lost and England along with us."

            "We shall defeat Mordrid at his own game," Edwyn said, his voice suddenly full of conviction.  When he raised his head, Rhain saw the look of cold, hard determination that he had seen in his friend's face each and every time they had faced a difficult challenge together.  "We shall turn his game around on him so that he will be the one to be lured in the end."

            "How do we do that?" Rhain asked him.

            "He will be counting on you to operate on emotion.  It may prove very difficult, but you must not allow him to manipulate you in that manner.  We must adhere to our original plan of action and we must continue to push forward with this war.  'Tis the only way we will have the strength to rescue Keelin in the end."

            Edwyn was right; Rhain did not like the plan.  It might yet take them months to win the war and he did not relish the thought of his betrothed suffering at the hands of her captor for all that time.  He feared she might become ill or, worse yet, that she might be led to believe that he did not care about her and that he would not come for her.  The thought was unbearable to Rhain.

            "There is sense in what you say and I will adhere to it as much as I am able but when it comes to a point that I feel I must move, I want to know that you will be behind me," Rhain said, at last.

            Edwyn placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.  "We are all behind you.  You are our king and we trust in your wisdom.  You know your men love, respect, and admire you.  They will not hesitate to believe, to know, that you are acting when action is called for.  They will have no doubts when you ask them to fight, they shall simply fight because they trust in you.  They have spent many years fighting at your side and they know who you are and of what you are made."

            Rhain felt reassured by his friend's words.  "I believe he must have taken her to Paris.  The risk is too great for him to attempt to conceal her in another town.  We have taken many of them and are certain to take many more.  The palace in Paris is the most heavily guarded and fortified area for such a prisoner as she.  He would not have taken her to Spain because there is no guarantee that the Spanish king would agree to it and because if he aims to capture me and to use Keelin as a weapon, he would want her nearby in the event of my capture."

            "Aye," Edwyn agreed.  "Paris is the most logical choice.  As you said, I am not certain that the king of Spain would condone such an action as the capture of Keelin.  I should not be surprised if the capture does create some tension between France and her ally."

                "Let us hope so," Rhain said, grimly.  "For now, all we can do is wait and hope for the worst for France and Mordrid."


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36**

Keelin regained consciousness slowly.  Her body seemed to be floating for an indeterminable length of time before she realized that she was actually lying on a pallet.  Her peripheral vision was too dim for her to see what the chamber she was lying in looked like.  Keelin's head felt as if it was made of lead.  Her tongue was swollen and her mouth so unbearably dry that she actually felt pain when she attempted to move her tongue out to moisten her parched, cracked lips.  She tried to move her arms but her first attempt failed.  She lay still for several moments before she succeeded in moving her right arm just the barest inch.  The effort exhausted her and she closed her eyes and fell back into a short stupor.

            Before she opened her eyes a second time, she became aware of the sound of voices in the chamber with her.  At first they were foggy and indistinct but as her mind began to work, she realized that one of the voices belonged to Mordrid.

            A shot of pure adrenaline and primal fear surged through her body.  Her eyes flew open, her vision was crystal clear, and she was able to move her body.  Her head throbbed almost unbearably as she lifted it from the pallet but she persisted, determined to flee Mordrid's presence.  Keelin's painful motions did not go long undetected and she had only succeeded in lifting herself halfway into a sitting position before Mordrid was suddenly upon her.  She would have screamed but her throat was too dry for her to make a sound.  She froze in place and stared up at him in horror.

            "Ah, it seems our guest is finally awake," Mordrid said, smiling demonically at her.  He let a string of French phrases out over his shoulder, aiming them back toward the person with whom he had been speaking when she had awakened.  Keelin was able to move her head enough to see that it was the man who had nearly strangled her.

            "Where have you taken me?" she croaked.  Speech was nearly impossible due to the extreme dry state of her mouth.  Her tongue felt large and clumsy and her words were strangely slurred, as if she had drunk too much wine.

            Mordrid gestured and a third man, who was obviously a servant, stepped forward and placed a goblet in Mordrid's hand.  Mordrid's mouth curved into a vicious smile once more and he held the goblet out to Keelin.

            "Some water, my lady?" he asked, his voice mocking.  There was a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

            "I would rather die of thirst," was Keelin's dusty reply.

            To her surprise, Mordrid threw his head back and laughed.  "Ah, yes, now I remember why I found the pursuit of you so fascinating.  You were always so quick  to reject my advances, although I find you rather more spirited now than you were when I saw you last.  I like it."  
            Keelin was so repulsed that she felt sick to her stomach.  "Where have you taken me?" she repeated.

            "Why, I have brought you on a royal visit.  I thought it only fitting that the future Queen of England be brought to visit His and Her Majesties of France."

            Keelin felt an icy finger of fear on her spine.  How had he managed to bring her all this way without her notice?  She realized that she must have been drugged for days, which would explain her pounding head, dry mouth, and dragging limbs.

            "Traitor," Keelin said, wishing she were able to spit on his feet.  "Most vile traitor!  The king will have your head for this."

            Mordrid merely smiled.  "On the contrary, my dear lady, 'tis I who shall have the king's head and you shall help me to capture it."

            "I shall do no such thing," Keelin declared.  She somehow managed to reach up and dash the goblet from Mordrid's hand, splashing herself almost as much as she splashed him.  The cool liquid soaked into her gown and she felt like weeping for want of it.  She would not, however, show such weakness before Mordrid.  "I shall not let you destroy England.  I would give my life for her."

            "Ah, but 'tis not for you to decide.  When your love receives my ransom demands he will have no choice but to obey.  Such is the folly of love.  You would gladly sacrifice yourself for king and country but he will not allow you that choice.  He will not sacrifice you."

            Keelin felt a black, intense sense of hatred toward Mordrid.  "You truly are the spawn of Satan," she declared to him.

            "Welcome to my lair," he hissed, bending over and putting his face directly before hers in one swift and graceful movement.

            It was all Keelin could do not to flinch.  "I care not what you do to me.  You may torture me, you may kill me, but I shall never give you the satisfaction of begging for your mercy.  I will gladly and freely give my life for my country."

            "So foolish.  No harm will come to you at present.  Indeed, you shall be very well cared for until the king arrives.  However, once he is here to witness it, you will suffer grave pain."

            Keelin realized with a dawning horror that Mordrid intended to lure Rhain and his knights to their deaths using her as his pawn.  He meant to draw Rhain into his web and then force him to watch as he tortured and killed her.  He was too much of a coward, too evil to meet Rhain on the battlefield as an honorable man would do.  The thought of Rhain having to watch as Mordrid brutalized her caused Keelin more fear than she had ever felt.  It would be easy for Mordrid to simply kill her and Rhain but it would be empty for him.  He would not be satisfied until he had tortured them using every possible means.  In spite of her terror, Keelin knew she had to be strong for her country, for her people, and for Rhain.

            "You do not frighten me," she told Mordrid.  "You may punish my body as you wish but my soul shall be free.  Death does not frighten me for I know I shall find my reward.  'Tis you who should fear your own death, you who should tremble at the thought of the final judgment."

            "That is a pretty speech indeed," he sneered.  "But your God does not scare me.  Your God cannot help you now.  Your God is dead."

            Keelin responded by closing her eyes and folding her hands in an attitude of prayer.  She turned her thoughts inward until she ceased to hear Mordrid's voice, until she heard only her own internal voice praying for the safety of her beloved and his men.  She prayed that God would grant Rhain the wisdom to stay out of Mordrid's trap and that He would grant Rhain the knowledge that Keelin would sacrifice herself willingly, that there was nothing that would destroy her more surely than to see Rhain come for her and meet his end at Mordrid's hand.

            The prayers continued until Mordrid grew enraged and was forced to leave the chamber lest he damage her before his plans had been seen through.  When she had finished praying, she saw that a tray had been left behind for her.  She stared at it for a long moment, desperately trying to decide if she should drink and eat or if she should let herself die of thirst or starvation.  The decision was agonizing.  Her will to live was strong but, more importantly, she had to decide whether her death or her life would pose the greater threat to Rhain and to England.  If she lived he might fall into Mordrid's trap and attempt to rescue her but if she died he might rush forth in a blind rage at Mordrid.  In the end she decided that if Rhain were to attempt to pursue Mordrid, he would do so in a more rational manner if believed her to be alive than he might if he were to believe her dead.  She became certain that she needed to remain alive and that her senses needed to remain acute so that she could do everything in her power to stop Mordrid.  Her decision made, Keelin took the tray and ate and drank her fill.

*********  

            The English king's men searched long and hard each and every day in an attempt to find their future queen.  Rhain wanted to be as positive of her whereabouts as possible before he even attempted a rescue.  Although it caused him great anguish, Rhain listened to Edwyn's calm suggestions that he prepare himself as well as possible for the rescue.  It was his instinct to race right off to the castle to rescue Keelin but the rational part of him knew that Edwyn was correct.  Mordrid wanted Rhain to rush to the castle in disarray and attempt to storm it in order to liberate his beloved.  Were the king to take this course of action, it would be very simple for Mordrid and the French king to simply sit back and pick their English enemy off with ease.

            Still, in spite of Edwyn's calm demeanor, Rhain knew that his friend was very worried and very anxious about Keelin's state.  It was obvious to Rhain that, although the two were not very close as of yet, Edwyn liked Keelin and he had an enormous amount of respect for her.  Rhain knew that his friend was aware of the impact that Keelin's capture had not only on the king and his mother but also the entire kingdom of England.  It was a severe blow to the morale of the people and the knights and it was doubtless that people would begin to question the security of a kingdom from which the future queen could be plucked with apparent ease from the thick walls of the castle.  

            This last fact was the one that constantly nagged at Rhain's mind.  He still could not explain how or why Keelin would have left the castle walls.  He had been very explicit in his letters to her expressing his desire that she remain behind the castle's walls at all times.  Rhain knew that she would not defy his wishes unless there had been extenuating circumstances and he was determined to discover just what those circumstances could possibly be.

            King Ludwig was incensed at this latest development.  He sent Rhain a long and very sympathetic letter in which he declared the conviction that Mordrid was a cowardly miscreant of the worst kind and in which he expressed his concerns and his sympathies for the pain that Rhain must be suffering at the capture of his beloved.  Ludwig's army fought with renewed vigor, trouncing the French soundly in every battle and rapidly capturing a series of towns in a sequence of important battles.  His army was coming in from the west while Rhain's came in from the east and Ludwig sent Rhain his assurances that they would meet and that his army would be at Rhain's disposal for the storming of the French palace in Paris.

            Rhain also triumphed in the war at sea.  His fleet had soundly trounced the Spanish armada, sending them fleeing for safety.  The English fleet had sunk roughly eighty percent of the French Spanish ships and had captured about fifteen percent of those they had not sunk.  The few that got away were in very poor shape, some of them with sails ablaze as they fled from the English ships.  Rhain now controlled nearly every port in France and his fleet had immediately set up a blockade, preventing Spain from sending relief in the form of men and supplies.

            It was only a matter of time before Rhain and Ludwig would press in on the French king and Rhain knew that the king of France must know it as well.  He had never known the French king to be a particularly brave man and so he concluded that Mordrid, in his blood lust, must have convinced the French king to fight to the very death.  Rhain took comfort in the thought that Mordrid was blinded by his madness and that he had the French king under his thumb.  Rhain's greatest advantage was to remain calm and to plan each move carefully.  The cracks in the French kingdom were beginning to show in earnest.  In most of the towns he and Ludwig had won, the peasants had scarcely put up a fight.  They were starving and living in deplorable conditions, their streets overridden by pestilence and disease.  They were willing to tolerate and possibly embrace any king who might be able to offer them some relief from their misery.

            And so with each passing day, Rhain was able to concentrate more and more on his plans for the storming of the castle and the subsequent rescue of Keelin.  He knew it would be dangerous to underestimate the strength of the French king but the war had been intense and expensive up to this point and Rhain felt fairly confident that the castle, although certainly closely guarded, would not be under particularly heavy guard.  The greatest challenge, of course, would be to get inside the castle.  Rhain did not even allow himself to think that if this was not done quickly, Keelin would probably be killed before he even had a chance to rescue her.  The thought was always at the back of his mind but he knew that if he focused on it he would run mad.

            Edwyn had dispatched an extensive network of spies with the mission of gathering as much information about the French castle as possible.  These men were disbursed throughout the kingdom.  He also saw to it that a special group was formed to handle the questioning of French citizens and the interrogation of prisoners of war.  This group would coordinate all interviews and would gather and compile all of the information that was gleaned from the interviews and interrogations.  In the space of three days, Rhain suddenly found a wealth of information at his fingertips, information that would help him rescue Keelin.

            "Sources indicate that important prisoners are usually held in the western tower," Edwyn said.  A schematic of the French castle lay on the table in Rhain's military tent.  It was already very detailed and grew more so every day with each new bit of information they uncovered.  Rhain and Edwyn now had a very good idea of the layout of the castle and they were devising the speediest route through the castle and to where they believed Keelin was being held.

            "Aye but she may also be in the dungeon for all we know," Rhain said.  He ran a frustrated hand through his hair, pacing back and forth in front of the table.  "We do not know where Mordrid and the king are keeping her.  They may be keeping her where they have kept other important prisoners or they may be keeping her somewhere else entirely.  They must have known that we would be able to gather this information."

            "That may be but the fact is that the western tower is the most well-fortified in the entire castle.  They would require very few men to guard it effectively, which must make it a most appealing spot for both Mordrid and the king.  They cannot have afforded to keep behind a large contingent of guards for the sole purpose of guarding your lady."

            "Nay, that is where I do not agree.  This war is almost nothing more than a prelude to Mordrid.  The French king may not see it that way but he is under Mordrid's power.  Mordrid would love to win England but he wishes for nothing more than to know that he has tortured both me and Keelin in the vilest manner imaginable."

            "Do you believe her to be held elsewhere in the castle?" Edwyn asked.

            At that instant a page burst into the tent.  He held a letter in his hand which he hastily passed to Rhain.  The boy bowed to Rhain and Edwyn before making his retreat.  

            Rhain turned the letter over and immediately recognized the wax seal of the minister who was in charge of espionage for England.  Rhain ripped through the seal and hastily fumbled with the pages, anxious to see what information was held within.  He read quietly for a moment before a smile passed over his face, at which point he handed Edwyn the letter.  Edwyn gave his friend a quizzical look before scanning the missive.  Edwyn too began to smile.

            "So the west tower it is," Rhain said, shaking his head in wonder.  "She is a most formidable woman."

            "Indeed she is.  To have had the presence of mind to somehow hang a patch of her gown from one of the arrow slits…" Edwyn's voice trailed off as he shook his head.  Rhain could hear the admiration in his friend's voice.

            "It would appear that she anticipated our problems," Rhain told him.

            The two men knew that Keelin had been wearing a crimson gown on the day she had been captured.  The queen had told the investigating knights and those knights had found a bit of fabric on one of the trees in the forest.  It appeared that a bit of Keelin's gown had been torn off as she struggled against her captors.  According to the missive Rhain had just received, one of the English spies who had been surveilling the French castle had noticed a bit of red fabric hanging from one of the arrow slits in the western tower.  It was a tiny bit of fabric, so small that it almost escaped the spy's notice.  He was certain that it must have been strategically placed there for it was far smaller than any of the banners that adorned the rest of the castle.

            "She has given us a valuable piece of information," Edwyn said.

            "At least we shall have one advantage in our attempts to rescue her," Rhain said.  "Now that we know where she is being held, we need a plan of attack.  I will need all of my best strategists here tonight.  We shall come up with a plan to rescue my lady and to defeat Mordrid and France once and for all."


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

Each day that Keelin was in captivity was agonizingly long.  Mordrid rode off into battles every so often and sometimes days would pass without her seeing him, much to her relief.  She never stopped hoping that he would be killed in one of these many battles, that the terrifying threat he posed would be snuffed out more quickly than a candle's flame, but her prayers in this respect were not answered.

            There was precious little for her to do but pray, hope, and worry.  When Mordrid was present he delighted in coming to visit her and describing to her in graphic detail the men he had killed on the battlefield, his slaying of King Arthur, and his plans for her and Rhain.  His tales frequently made her sick to her stomach but she always managed to keep control over her body until he parted.  Once he was gone, she would usually collapse onto her pallet and lay in a fetal position until the uncontrollable heaving of her body subsided.  These experiences always left her feeling both physically and emotionally drained.  She kept up a façade of bravado with Mordrid for as long as possible but she knew that he could see that he was wearing her down.

            On the days when Mordrid was not present, she occasionally had visits from other inhabitants of the castle.  To her intense distaste, the man who had tackled her back in the English forest was a frequent visitor, as he was the one who most often brought her meal trays.  On one occasion, the king and queen of France came to gawk at their prisoner and for the first and only time Keelin regretted not being able to speak French.  She would have liked to tell them what she thought of them and what Rhain would do to them when he arrived.  The French prince also came to see her on a few occasions and Keelin hated his visits almost as much as she hated Mordrid's.  The prince would always look at her with a lecherous stare and Keelin was certain that if the young man were not so afraid of Mordrid the prince would have had no qualms about taking whatever he wished from her.

            As time passed, Keelin began to think more and more about Rhain's coming to rescue her.  She was able to catch bits and pieces of information from time to time and she knew that the French had suffered multiple defeats at the hands of the Germans and the English.  It was obvious that it was just a matter of time before the two armies came marching into Paris.  Keelin was fairly certain that Rhain and Edwyn would know that she was being held in the Parisian castle but she knew that they would have no idea in which part of the castle she was being held.  She tried to think of what she could do to point them her way but the more she thought the more frustrated she became.  Her tower chamber held nothing but arrow slits and she was watched nearly every second of the day.  

While lying in bed one night, her head pounding from the tension of trying to think of something to attract the attentions of the English and German armies, Keelin tugged at her gown and heard it tear.  A wan stream of moonlight flowed into the chamber from one of the arrow slits and she held the tattered bit of her gown up to it.  She could see that it was not a very large piece but she felt fairly certain that it was large enough that it might be noticed from the ground.  She was extremely grateful that she had worn her red gown the day she had been captured rather than her cream gown.  The red fabric would stand out against the gray stones of the castle in a way that the cream never would have done.

Holding her breath for several heartbeats, Keelin waited for some sound of movement at the barred door that was the only entrance to her prison.  She heard nothing.  She could not see anything in the inky blackness beyond the bars of the door and so she waited several minutes and then held her breath again and listened.  Still nothing.  Holding her breath, Keelin moved stealthily to one of the arrow slits that was shrouded in shadow.  By pressing her eye to the slit and craning her neck downward, she could see a small slice of land below her.  Praying fervently that it was the front of the castle and not some obscure corner at the back, she managed to wiggle the piece of fabric through the slit and to wedge one corner of it into the loose mortar between two stones.  

By the time she had finished, her heart was pounding and she was breathing so loudly that she feared that everyone in the castle might hear her.  She stole soundlessly back to her pallet and laid down, waiting to see if anyone would come bursting into the chamber and rip the piece of her gown from the arrow slit.  She did not relax until the beam of moonlight had passed from one arrow slit to the next.

As the night gave way to day, Keelin found that her thoughts became more and more collected and more and more coherent.  She suddenly remembered that Alinda had been with her the day she had been captured and she felt the familiar thrill of dread race down her spine and somehow land in the pit of her stomach.  She could not imagine what had become of her friend.  It was a long, sleepless night, rendering Keelin even more tense when Mordrid strode through her door the next day.

"And how did you sleep, my lady?" he asked, with his mocking smile.

"You know very well that I did not sleep," she replied, her voice sharp.  "What have you done with Alinda?"  She tried her best to keep the fear from her voice.

A slow, oily smile slipped over Mordrid's face.  "I was beginning to wonder when you would inquire after your friend.  What sort of friend are you that it takes you so much time to inquire after the health of the friend that was captured along with you?  For all you know, she may be dead."

"Where is she?" Keelin demanded again.  She had known from the first day she had awakened in Mordrid's clutches that it was best to demand the exact knowledge that she was trying to extract from him.  She knew it was dangerous to allow herself to fall prey to his verbal games.

"She is here, of course, and is quite well.  In fact, I do believe that she has been longing to visit you.  I shall have her brought to you."  Mordrid moved over toward the door and spoke through the bars to one of the guards.

Keelin tried to conceal her surprise at the fact that Mordrid was going to allow her to see Alinda.  It seemed strange to her that he would be so eager to fulfill this request.  She began to feel an uneasy stirring in the pit of her stomach.  Perhaps he intended to harm Alinda in some way while Keelin watched.

            She did not have long to fret, however.  No more than three minutes went by before the door to her prison opened once again and Alinda moved forward into the chamber.  At first, Keelin could barely register her emotions, so great was her sense of shock.  Alinda was clean and meticulously groomed, dressed in a gown of sky blue silk that was at the height of court fashion.  Her hair had been brushed until it gleamed and then carefully arranged in a series of coils that ended in a queue that trailed along her back.  Keelin could not understand why her friend was so clean and richly dressed when she herself was in tatters, her hair a tangled mess.

            "Alinda?" she said, stepping toward her friend.  What happened next stopped her in her tracks and made her blood run cold.  Rather than moving toward Keelin, Alinda stepped over to Mordrid and placed her hand in the crook of his arm.

            "I am very hurt that it has taken you so long to inquire after me," she said, her voice mocking.  "Was I not telling you so yesterday, my lord?"

            "Indeed, my dear, you were," Mordrid replied, patting Alinda's hand with his own.

            Horror and realization dawned on Keelin all at once.  "Traitor," she whispered in Alinda's general direction.

            "Traitor to whom?" Alinda asked, unruffled.  "I have proven myself to be quite loyal to my lord."

            Keelin could feel the blood drain from her face as she glanced from Mordrid to Alinda and back again.  Mordrid had spent much time at court while she was growing up and he most certainly would have had the opportunity to interact with a great many of the castle's servants.  Her mind flashed back to conversations she had shared with Alinda and some of the strange things that Alinda had said.  Keelin was terrified to realize that she had told Alinda nearly everything regarding her fear of Mordrid and her fear that Mordrid would harm Rhain.

            "All this time?" Keelin asked.  For the first time, she felt the nearly uncontrollable urge to sob right before her mortal enemy.

            "Why do you think I sought you out?" Alinda inquired coldly.  "I watched you from the moment you came into the castle.  I knew what had happened to my lord and I knew that I wanted revenge against the woman who had caused his destruction.  When I began, I thought only of my own desire to avenge my lord's name but then he devised this masterful plan to avenge himself against both you and that sniveling lover of yours.  I watched you when you were a scullery maid and when your so-called king decided to find a better place for you, 'twas I who made certain he was informed that we were in need of a sewing woman.  I made certain that I was always around when you needed a friend.  I spied on you and saw you dance with vile Rhain at the ball for the Italians and I watched your meetings in the forest and on the battlements.  'Twas not until he returned from Germany and I saw how you reacted to the king's death and his coronation that I was certain of your feelings for him.  That was when I contacted my lord."

            "She is a clever one, is she not?" Mordrid asked.

            "Why, Alinda?  How could you do this to England?" Keelin asked, simply.

            The other woman regarded her with a look of pure hatred in her eyes.  "What do I care for England?  In England I have been nothing more than a servant to be spat upon.  England exiled the one man I have always loved.  England has been nothing more than a land of tyranny and suffering for me."

            "When the time of reckoning comes, you will suffer dearly.  I will pray for your soul," Keelin told her, feeling as though her heart would break.

            Alinda merely sneered at her.  "I shall see you in hell.  Save a place for me there, will you not?"

            Mordrid threw his head back and laughed.  "Ah, such a charming creature and such a creature after my own heart," he said, caressing Alinda fondly.  The woman fairly purred at his touch.  It sickened Keelin.

            "Come, my dear," Mordrid said.  "I believe we should leave the lady alone with only her thoughts to torture her."

            After Alinda and Mordrid left the chamber, Keelin collapsed on her pallet, wrapping herself into a tight ball, and sobbing as silently as possible.  The pain of Alinda's betrayal cut through her like a knife and was compounded by the horrifying realization of just how much destruction might be wrought upon England as a result of the maid's traitorous actions.  Keelin had been so certain that she had found a trustworthy friend in Alinda and it was sheer agony to know that Alinda had hated and despised her all along.  Through her perfidious nature, Alinda had been able to convince Keelin not to place her complete trust in her ladies and to always hold the amiable girls at arm's length.  She had made Keelin dependent on her, had convinced her against growing close to any other person and when Keelin had defied her and had become close to Rhain, Alinda had decided to use that to her advantage as well.

            Keelin berated herself for being so foolish.  She felt that the dangers that awaited Rhain, although not of her own making, were her fault.  Had she been wise enough to question Alinda's earnest overtures of friendship, had she acted with prudence, none of what had happened might have ever occurred.  Still, Keelin could not blame herself too harshly for she knew that her heart had been pure and that her desire had been most natural.  She had suffered a great deal and had been longing for the comfort of a friend.  It was through no fault of her own that Alinda had chosen to exploit Keelin's need in a most despicable manner.

            Slowly, the pain began to ease and Keelin's thoughts turned to those who had proved worthy of her love and she was reminded that she was not alone.  She may have been naïve enough to trust Alinda but she had also trusted Rhain and he had proven his worth to her many times over.  She knew that she would never again need for anything as long as she had the love and friendship of the man who had shown himself to be among the best of men.  What was more; she had the friendship and respect of Edwyn, whose heart was of the purest gold.  She had also gained the comfort of the love of the queen, who was as sweet and pure as the newly fallen snow.  Although she had never truly let them become close to her, her ladies had shown her much compassion during each and every day of Rhain's absence. 

            The more she thought, the stronger she felt.  Her tears dried up and she sat up once again.  She would not allow Mordrid and Alinda to break her, would not allow them to cloud her judgment and compromise her ability to think of those she loved and of England as she planned her course of action.  She would stand tall and keep her wits about her and find a way to do all that she could to ensure the security of the country and people that she loved more than life.  Keelin had spent far too much of her life cowering in fear before Mordrid and she refused to cower any longer.  She would prove her mettle to him and show him once and for all that there was no place for such an evil person as he in the world.

            Her resolve firm, Keelin once again turned her thoughts to the English and German approach on the castle.  She hoped that they would be able to see the scrap of her gown so that they would know for certain where she was being held.  Turning her thoughts toward the events that might occur as they tried to free her, Keelin began to think of what she would need to help Rhain in any way that she could.  A weapon was very desirable and Keelin glanced around her, trying to find something, anything that she could use to defend herself.  Under cover of night, she prowled the tower but was unable to find any lose stones or anything else that would serve her well as a weapon.  Her mind turned to thoughts of her meal tray and she realized that the heavy pewter mug that was always upon it would do very well.  She decided that the next time her tray was about to be cleared away she would conceal the mug in her pallet and then create a diversion by attacking whomever served her.  In the chaos that would follow, she prayed they would not notice the absent mug.

            Opportunity presented itself the next morning when the filthy Frenchman who had kidnapped her entered the chamber with her tray.  When he set the tray down, Keelin snatched the mug and flung its contents in his face.  As he sputtered and cursed, wiping his eyes so that he could once again see, Keelin quickly shoved the mug beneath a mound of straw and blankets.  She then let out the most bloodcurdling scream she could muster, launching herself at the man and lashing out at him.

            The commotion brought two other Frenchmen rushing into the chamber.  Yelling loudly in French, they each grabbed one of her arms and did their best to pull her away from their companion.  Keelin put up a good fight, kicking, scratching, biting, and punching at them.  The commotion lasted for several minutes before the men were able to subdue her enough to allow a fourth man to enter the chamber and hold a cloth doused in a noxious liquid over her face.  The sickeningly sweet fumes seemed to go right to her head and Keelin could feel her limbs turn to lead.  As her struggles stopped, the other men released their hold on her, causing her to tumble onto her pallet with very little grace.  Her vision began to go black and Keelin tried to fight it but found that it was useless.  As she drifted off into unconsciousness, she was very grateful to feel the heavy mug digging into the flesh of her back.


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: **I apologize for my long absence.  I was blocked for a while and I had a lot of other things going on so that's what took me so long.

**rp:** This is for you.  I really hope you have a chance to read this today, before you head off.  Best of luck to you in the Peace Corps!

**Nadia: **Thanks as always for your very enthusiastic reviews!  I'm glad my cliff hangers worked as I'd hoped they would.  :)  Now you will be rewarded for your devotion to the story.  

**SAngel, June Bug, and Kookle Wrenford: **Thank you, thank you, thank you for your feedback!  This story has been near and dear to my heart for some time and I am so glad you've enjoyed it.

**Royal Novelists: **Thanks for the e-mail.  It's nice to know that someone was missing my story and eager for it to continue.  When I stared this account I vowed that I would not let more than a week pass without an update and I violated my own vow.  Thanks for waiting faithfully for me to get my act together.  :)

And to anyone else who's read and reviewed or read and not reviewed, thanks for taking the time to look at my story.  Exposure is a writer's dream and I am very happy to have been able to share this story with an audience.

*********

**Chapter 38**

            It did not take long for the German and English armies to continue their push toward Paris.  The strength of the French army had been seriously undermined by the heavy casualties they had suffered at the hands of the more powerful and more skilled English and German armies.  Good fortune truly seemed to be on their side as they learned that a great many of the French soldiers who had not been taken out by their armies were soon rendered useless by the rampant spread of pestilence that ran throughout the unsanitary French camps.  Those men that did not die of the sickness were far too weak to prove an effective defense against the Germans and the English.  Rhain and Ludwig captured town after town with unprecedented ease.  

            With each step that brought him closer to Paris, Rhain's impatience grew but his prudence grew as well.  He could now clearly see the signs that Mordrid did not really care if France was defeated in the war.  His vendetta was personal and it was obvious to Rhain that all Mordrid cared about was punishing the English king and his betrothed.  As a result, Rhain knew that the man was unstable and he knew that any plans for storming the castle would have to be very well-laid if they were to succeed.  He, Ludwig, and Edwyn spent countless hours strategizing until they came up with a plan that they felt had the best chance of succeeding.

            The city of Rouen soon fell and it was there that their plan was launched.  They remained in Rouen for several days, not because they needed the rest, but because they were hoping to confuse and panic the French king.  They divided the army into several different contingents and marched them off in different directions with orders to take different towns.  This would enable them to divide what was left of the French army and to divert some of the remaining soldiers from Paris.  They also dressed several different men in the garments and armor that Rhain normally wore and had them ride off in several different directions so that the King of France would receive several different reports of the English King's whereabouts.  The bulk of the remaining army was divided in three, with Ludwig, Rhain, and Edwyn each leading one branch of the army.  Rhain would be disguised by wearing the clothing of the earl of Worchester.  The three would attack the city before converging at one point, at which time Rhain and Edwyn would infiltrate the castle with a contingent of their best knights and rescue the lady Keelin.  Rhain spent the night before their attack in unceasing prayer, Edwyn at his side the entire time.  Ludwig had agreed to take on the responsibility of preparing the armies and smoothing out any last-minute wrinkles so that Rhain and Edwyn would be free.

            Well after midnight, the two men finally ceased their attitude of prayer, Edwyn insisting that Rhain needed his rest.

            "You must be clearheaded on the morrow if we are to succeed," Edwyn told him.

            Rhain knew he was right but he also knew that he would not possibly be able to sleep that night.  "How shall I sleep knowing that Keelin is locked in that tower and that her life rests in my hands?  What if I fail?  How will I live with the knowledge that I was the cause of her untimely death?"

            "We shall not fail," Edwyn told him, firmly.  "We will triumph over the evil intentions of Mordrid.  Come, get some rest.  I know you think that you will never close your eyes this night but peace will be with you and you will sleep."

            The king was skeptical but he decided to appease his friend by lying down.  At first, terrifying thoughts swirled through his head but Rhain soon chased them away with prayers rather than allowing them to overcome him.  Before long, Edwyn's words proved to be true and Rhain closed his eyes and slept.

            He was awakened before dawn the next day by Edwyn.  Edwyn helped his friend dress in his armor before clasping the king in a tight embrace.

            "Do not fear, Rhain, but have trust in God.  Your cause is righteous and true.  Before night falls again, your lady will be safe in your embrace," Edwyn told him.

            "I pray you may be right," Rhain said, fervently.

            King Ludwig was announced and Rhain and Edwyn greeted him with a great deal of gratitude.  "Ludwig, you have proven yourself the truest of friends.  When my father was killed on your soil, I was grateful for your sympathy but I could never have asked for the support that you have since shown me," Rhain told him.

            "There are so few just men in this world and your father was one of them.  On that day, you had my sympathy but it was when I discovered that you were as just a man as he that you gained my unqualified support," Ludwig told him.

            "I could never show you the depth of my gratitude for your friendship in both of my times of great need," Rhain told him, feeling a lump in his throat.

            "Friends are always present to help during times of great need," Ludwig said.

            "And I shall be for you," Rhain vowed.  "Let it always be said from this moment forth that Rhain and Ludwig were among the truest of friends."

            Ludwig clapped Rhain in a swift embrace before parting.  "I wish Godspeed to you both," he told Rhain and Edwyn.

            "And to you as well," Edwyn said.

            "I shall see you again when we have proven victorious," Rhain told him.

            "I look forward to seeing you both again," Ludwig said.  "And your lady as well."

            Alone once again, Rhain and Edwyn took a few moments to pray for a successful campaign.  They embraced once more before Edwyn was off.

            "Godspeed to you, dear friend," Edwyn said to him.

            "Godspeed to you, dear friend," Rhain replied.

            As soon as Edwyn left, Rhain turned away from his tent and went to his horse.  This was not his normal steed as his had been given over to one of the Rhain imposters.  This horse was of a different color and of a somewhat different temperament.  Although Rhain longed for his own horse, he was more than happy to ride one that was unfamiliar to him if it meant that he would soon be riding off on it with Keelin.  He knew he would put up with any hardship to see her safely returned to him.

            Dawn was just beginning to show its first streaks when Rhain and his men rode toward the French castle.  His men were serious, intent on their mission, and Rhain had never seen them quite like this before.  They were the best of knights and were always serious when riding into battle but he had never before seen such intense looks of determination on their faces.  He knew that Mordrid's audacious kidnapping of the lady Keelin had struck them to their very core.  They had always fought for the protection of England but now their country had been struck in a very personal manner and the reality of their mission was more apparent than ever.  It was unnervingly clear to them that they were fighting for the future of their land.

            It was not long before the stones of the castle were evident.  As they approached, arrows began to rain down upon them, although in less than great numbers, causing Rhain to give thanks that the information his spies had gathered about the weak state of the French army was correct.  The German and English siege weapons soon rolled into place and began to rain destructions upon the outer walls of the castle.  It did not take long before the armies were able to infiltrate the structure and Rhain broke off from his group of men, heading for the designated meeting spot at which Edwyn would be waiting with their carefully chosen knights.  Rhain's heart pounded so fiercely that it was the only sound he was able to hear, in spite of the cacophony of battle.

            When he arrived at the site, Rhain was so grateful to see that everything was going according to plan that he wanted to weep.  Edwyn's men had succeeded in using their siege weapons to lay waste to another section of the castle's outer wall through which they would be able to enter and from there take a direct path to the west tower.  As soon as Edwyn caught sight of his friend, he lifted his hand and the men began their rapid progress toward the castle.  They rode at breakneck pace, slashing through French soldiers with their swords but not slowing until they reached the castle's entrance.  

            Leaping from their horses, Rhain, Edwyn, and the knights rushed the entrance just as several more French soldiers tried to exit through the door.  They were quickly dispatched and the English entered the French castle.  They could hear the hue and cry go up that the castle had been entered and they knew that they had very little time.  They progressed stealthily through the castle, meeting surprisingly little resistance, before they reached the tower stairs.  Multiple guards were posted at the door at the base of the stairs and it took a few moments for Rhain and his men to eliminate them.  Once they had, they found that the door was locked.

            "Find the key!  We have little time!" Rhain hissed at them as he rifled frantically through the garments of one of the dead guards.

            A few moments passed and Rhain began to sweat in earnest as his fear began to overtake him before Edwyn successfully recovered the key.  He quickly slammed it home into the door.  Rhain rushed toward it but Edwyn held him back, ushering a few of the knights before them.

            "You cannot lead, you know that," Edwyn hissed at him.  "There is no telling what is at each turn of these stairs."

            Rhain knew Edwyn was right but the few seconds longer that he had to wait were like torture to him.  He gritted his teeth as the knights began their ascent, clenching his fists until Edwyn loosed his hold on him and allowed the king to follow his men up the stairs.  They all proceeded with their swords drawn and it was not long before they had need of them.  Rhain lost two of his men on the stairs and his frustration mounted due to his inability to take the time to mourn the two men who had been two of his finest knights.  Vowing that Mordrid would pay dearly, Rhain pressed forward.

            As they reached the top of the stairs, they could hear a great commotion coming from the barred door behind which Keelin was surely being held.  As badly as Rhain wanted to rush directly through that door, there were French soldiers to be dealt with before the king and his knights could even contemplate such an action.  The king fought his way through three men before he was finally able to reach the door.

            Unable to control himself any longer, Rhain cried Keelin's name, the word tearing from his throat as he smashed through the door.

*********

Keelin could hear the noise from the stairs long before the Englishmen reached the top.  It was soon obvious to her that the French could as well for the door to the chamber opened and several came rushing in.  Seizing her opportunity, Keelin thrust her hand into her pallet and pulled out the pewter mug.  Her heart was pounding with a combination of excitement and fear.  She could not believe that Rhain was finally here but she did not know if he would succeed in rescuing her.  As the Frenchmen rushed forth to try to subdue her, Keelin struck out at them with all her might.

Her strength seemed superhuman as she wielded the mug like a weapon of great power.  Her senses were heightened, her vision unnaturally clear as she swung the weapon.  She felt a split second of satisfaction as she smashed the mug down upon the skull of her French kidnapper and tormentor.  She swung again and connected with the jaw of another man, scarcely even hearing the sound of his jawbone shattering as a result, for her concentration was focused on her next target.  Keelin managed to take down three men before someone came up behind her and grabbed her wrist just as she was lifting her arm to smash the mug down on another Frenchman.  Her wrist was viciously twisted and she cried out in pain.  Her fingers went numb and the mug tumbled from it and, for a moment, there was silence.

            There was no need for Keelin to turn around to know that it was Mordrid who had seized her wrist.  It throbbed so painfully that she feared it was broken and she wanted to sob out loud.  Aside from Mordrid, she could see three conscious Frenchmen in the chamber, all of them tensed for an attack.  Keelin attempted to struggle once more but another quick turn of her wrist changed her mind.  Mordrid's free arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her up against his body, crushing his hand into her abdomen with such force that all of the breath rushed from her body, leaving her dizzy and struggling to remain conscious.

            The sounds of the Englishmen drew nearer and the five conscious occupants of the chamber listened in silence to the dying screams of the French guards outside of the door.  Keelin went as limp as possible against Mordrid for two purposes.  She hoped to cause him to think that he had succeeded in rendering her unconscious and she was trying to get as close to him as possible so that his hand would not be pressing into her with such force, allowing her to draw a fuller breath.  Her act was so convincing that it was not long before Mordrid loosened his hold on her somewhat and she was able to breathe more easily.  She concentrated on keeping her breaths shallow enough that he would not notice them but deep enough that she could regain some of her strength.

            By the time the door flew open, Keelin had regained her breath.  She opened her eyes a hair's breadth and, to her immense joy, saw Rhain and Edwyn rush in with multiple knights.  Her joy was short-lived however, as Mordrid jerked her against him once more, snapping her head back so that it lolled and then rested against his shoulder.  All movement in the chamber stopped.  Keelin felt something cold press against her neck and she realized that Mordrid held a dagger to her throat.  Fear flowed through her veins like ice and she concentrated on maintaining the façade of being unconscious, knowing it was her only defense at the moment.

            "Fool!" Mordrid roared, with an insane laugh.  "You have gone to great lengths to rescue your lady but did you not wonder how you made it this far with such ease?"

            Keelin's sense of terror increased as she heard the sound of countless footfalls on the stairs.  She realized that the French guard had simply lain in wait for Rhain and his knights.  They were now all trapped in the tower.  Keelin felt all hope rush from her, leaving her limper than ever.  She wanted to lie on the floor and weep over their defeat.

            Mordrid laughed maniacally once again.  "You will suffer," he said, his voice a deep growl.  "I will see you suffer the greatest of mental and physical anguish before this day has ended.  I will begin by using your love against you, just as I have since the beginning of this war.  I will make you see how little she was worth your trouble and what a fool you have been to allow her to seduce you."

            Keelin kept her eyes almost entirely shut but she could see through the small slit she allowed herself.  The look on Rhain's face broke her heart and she closed her eyes fully, unable to bear it.  She could plainly read utter anguish and hopelessness in his expression.  At that moment, more French soldiers marched into the chamber and stationed themselves next to the door.  Mordrid moved over to them, dragging Keelin along with him.  She opened her eyes a slit once again and found that she had a clear view of the stairs.

            "How should I do away with you?" Mordrid asked Rhain.  "I would enjoy sinking my sword into you as I did your father but that is too quick an end.  Nay, I think I should stretch you on the rack first.  What do you think, my dear?" he asked.

            Keelin watched as Alinda stepped forward.  The woman she had once called a friend had an evil smirk on her face and Keelin heard Rhain, Edwyn, and his knights gasp in horror.

            "I think you should lock him in a cage and let the rats eat away at him," she replied.  Mordrid chuckled appreciatively.

            "'Twas you."  It sounded as though Rhain spat the words out.  "You lured Keelin from the castle."

            "Keelin is a pitiful fool," Alinda sneered.  "Look at your precious lady now.  What do you think of her?  If you think she looks ill you have seen nothing yet."

            Out of the corner of her eye, Keelin saw a slight movement.  She kept her gaze trained on the spot as Alinda and Mordrid continued to rant and rave.  After a few moments, she saw an unmistakable movement and, to her great surprise, she realized that there was another person on the stairs and that person was King Ludwig.  Hope surged through Keelin once again and she had to control herself lest Mordrid feel the pounding of her heart.

            Counting her heartbeats, Keelin allowed several minutes to pass.  She could scarcely even hear what Mordrid and Alinda were saying anymore.  She concentrated on pretending to be unconscious while watching the stairs in an attempt to figure out how many men were behind Ludwig.  Gathering her wits about her, Keelin decided that even if Ludwig was alone on the stairs she would rather die trying to escape Mordrid's clutches than allow him to capture and torture herself, Edwyn, Rhain, and his knights.  Taking the deepest breath she dared, Keelin slammed her heel down on the instep of Mordrid's right foot while simultaneously slamming her left fist into his groin area.  The dagger fell from Mordrid's hand and he released her so suddenly that she fell to the ground with a painful thud.  Momentarily stunned, she looked up and saw Mordrid crouched over in pain.  The French soldiers were standing stock-still with expressions of shock on their faces and Keelin knew that she had created the opportunity for which everyone had been waiting.  

Ludwig's men began to surge up the stairs and Keelin sighed in relief until she realized that Alinda had let forth an unearthly wail and was headed straight for Keelin, Mordrid's dagger positioned over Keelin's heart.  Acting on instinct alone, Keelin pulled her arms tightly into her body and rolled out of Alinda's path.  Alinda had already begun to slice the dagger down toward Keelin and the momentum of her thrust knocked her off balance.  As Alinda stumbled, Keelin kicked out at her legs, knocking the other woman off her feet.  The dagger fell out of Alinda's hand as she hit the ground and clattered against the floor.  Keelin lunged for it and, once it was in her possession, she went back for Alinda, grabbing a length of the woman's hair and winding it around her fist.  She yanked Alinda's head back and held the dagger against her former friend's neck, dragging her along until the two of them were out of the way of the fray.

            Anger and rage flashed through Keelin but she was also overcome with an immense sadness.  "How could you?" she asked Alinda, careful to keep the dagger strategically positioned.

            "Because you are lower than dirt," Alinda hissed.  Keelin could see that Alinda was about to spit on her and she pressed the flat of the dagger against Alinda's throat, choking her slightly.  "Your so-called king is a pig, wallowing in your filth," Alinda managed to choke.

            Keelin realized then the depth of the other woman's hatred for her.  Her heart was broken at the betrayal of her friend, a woman whom she had trusted almost implicitly, but Keelin knew that Alinda was irrevocably gone.  She had been overtaken by Mordrid's greed and lust and she was every bit as evil and irredeemable as Mordrid.

            "May God have mercy on your soul," Keelin said.  She pressed the dagger more forcefully against Alinda's throat, making it impossible for the other woman to speak.

            Turning her attention to the battle, Keelin's eyes scanned the melee anxiously for Rhain and for Mordrid.  She could see Rhain at the far end of the tower's chamber.  He and two of his knights were engaged in a sword battle with three of the Frenchmen but Keelin could see that the French would soon be overcome.  Turning her gaze toward another corner of the chamber, Keelin saw Edwyn fighting by King Ludwig's side, helping him to fend off three other Frenchmen.  Keelin continued to look around the chamber frantically until she caught sight of Mordrid.  He looked like a man possessed as he slashed through two of the German soldiers, intent on his pursuit of Rhain.  Keelin's stomach turned at the sight of such violent death and she had to avert her gaze, her heart pounding painfully in her chest.

            What seemed like an eternity passed but was in reality no more than a few seconds.  Edwyn and King Ludwig had fended off their attackers and Edwyn and another knight were now headed across the chamber.  The knight grabbed hold of Alinda's arm and, at Edwyn's nod; Keelin released her hold on the other woman and relinquished both her prisoner and her weapon to the knight, who carried both toward the chamber door.  Edwyn opened his mouth to speak but before he could say a word, Keelin saw a Frenchman bearing down on them.

            "Behind you!" Keelin cried.

            Edwyn whirled around, sword at the ready, but the Frenchman continued straight for Keelin, with the obvious intent of running Keelin through with his sword.  Once more instinct kicked in and Keelin dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way.  Before she knew what was happening, she was scooped up off the floor, thrown over Edwyn's powerful shoulder and headed straight for the door.  She struggled in protest, frantic not to leave Rhain behind but Edwyn ignored her struggles and carried her through the door and to safety.  Dropping her on her feet, he left her in the care of several German and English knights and ran right back into the chamber.

            Keelin rushed immediately to the door but the knights would not let her open it.  However, they did not prevent her from grabbing the bars in the door and pressing her face against them so that she could see what was happening inside of the chamber.  She watched as the Germans and the English swiftly brought the French to heel.  There were bodies strewn across the floor and Keelin could see that, amongst the Frenchmen, there were many English and German men.  As the French were eliminated, Keelin was stunned to see that Edwyn, King Ludwig, and many of the other men stepped back along the walls of the chamber, leaving the middle space open.  Their eyes were riveted on something Keelin could not quite see.  Turning her head at a painful angle, she finally managed to catch a glimpse of the scene that held them transfixed and her blood promptly ran cold.  Rhain and Mordrid were at the far side of the chamber, squaring off against one another.


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

Throughout the tower battle, Rhain's concentration was centered on Mordrid.  As the battle began to die down and the French lay strewn about the floor like so much discarded waste, the German and English men stepped back, allowing Rhain to face Mordrid alone.  The chamber grew unnaturally quiet and Rhain could hear every one of his breaths.

            Mordrid looked like a man possessed.  There was an inhuman gleam in his eyes and his nostrils twitched in a feral manner.  The all-consuming rage he felt for Rhain had rendered him little more than an animal.

            "You may have won the battle but you will not win the war," Mordrid shouted, the tone of his voice verging on hysteria.  "I shall spill the very life from you!"

            Rhain heard the sound of a sob and knew that it was Keelin but as much as it broke his heart he could not afford to be distracted by her now.

            "I will see to it that you return to hell, where you belong," Rhain replied, his voice a low growl.

            With a maniacal grin, Mordrid lunged toward him but Rhain was ready and the sound of steel blade against steel blade was nearly deafening.  For a second, Rhain felt a flash of fear.  Mordrid's strength seemed superhuman and Rhain could feel his muscles shaking as he used every ounce of strength he possessed to fight the other man off.

            Mordrid whirled around and slashed out with his sword, his blade meeting Rhain's with another bone-jarring impact.  Rhain slashed at Mordrid's legs but the other man leapt nimbly out of the way of Rhain's blade.  They continued to parry back and forth and Rhain's fears grew as he felt the telltale signs of exhaustion beginning to overcome him.  Mordrid ran him from one end of the chamber to the other, leaping, whirling, and dancing his way out of Rhain's reach.  This lasted for several long minutes until Rhain saw his advantage and seized it.  Mordrid had become overconfident in his attack and made the fatal mistake of taking his eyes off Rhain for a split second too long.  Thrusting forward with a deafening cry, Rhain felt his sword pierce Mordrid's abdomen and meet with a great deal of resistance as it pushed through layers of bone, muscle and internal organs until the tip of his blade emerged from Mordrid's back.  Mordrid's sword fell from his hand and he fell to his knees, bringing Rhain with him.

            Mordrid reached out and grabbed Rhain's surcoat, pulling the king toward him.  "A curse upon your house," Mordrid gasped before his eyes rolled back in his head and his body went limp.

            A piercing scream rent the air as Alinda cried out for the man she had loved.  The sound of it made Rhain wince and roused him from his daze.  He heard the sickening sound of steel slicing through flesh as he pulled his blood-drenched blade from Mordrid's body.  Once free of the sword that had pinioned it, Mordrid's body hit the stone floor with a hollow thud.  No one moved and not a single sound was heard for the space of a full minute and then Rhain and Ludwig's men surrounded the English king, cheering and chanting, "Long live the king!"  

Edwyn clasped Rhain in a powerful embrace.  "Your father is avenged," he whispered in Rhain's ear.  

Rhain nodded, tears streaming down his face.  An immense sense of relief poured through Rhain, leaving him limp.  He let his sword fall from his hand as he turned and strode through the door.

            On the other side, several men were struggling to restrain Alinda who was howling, scratching, and biting like a dog.  She snarled like a demon as they bound her hands and legs.  Rhain pointedly ignored her.  He had eyes only for Keelin.

            The woman he loved more than life itself stood in the midst of several of his guards.  Her gown was torn and stained and her hair was matted and tangled.  Tears coursed down her white face as she stared at him wordlessly.  Her eyes flickered down to his sword and the expression on her mouth twisted as she looked at the gory sight.

            "He is finally dead," she said, her voice sounding flat.  He knew from the look in her eyes that she had never before witnessed a battle, had never before seen violence at such a magnitude.

            Rhain walked over to Keelin, handing his sword to one of his knights, who took it and concealed it from view.  "He will never trouble you again," he told her, his voice gentle as he reached out and cupped her face in his hands.

            "Oh Rhain, I was so frightened!" she cried, throwing herself in his arms.

            "As was I," he told her.  The lump in his throat was so large that he was having trouble speaking.  He held Keelin as tightly as he could, enfolding her in his arms and kissing the top of her head.  "Oh my love, I was so frightened of what he might do to you."  He wanted to say so much more to her but they were not out of danger yet and so he gently held her at arms' lenth, wiping her tears away.  "Keelin, you have been very brave but I need you to remain strong.  There may yet be peril ahead of us."

            "I know," she said, stepping away from him, moving herself back into the midst of his men. 

            With one last hungry look at his future bride, the king turned his attention back to the men who had accompanied him.  Quickly, the men divided up into groups, some of them leaving down the stairs to scout for reports on the status of the seige, some moving through the mass of bodies in the chamber to search for the wounded.  Rhain placed himself near the head of the stairs, shielding Keelin with his body.  If anyone were to come charging up, they would have to get through the king before they could reach his beloved.

            They were up in the tower for some time, no one saying much of anything.  Alinda continued to struggle, but the knights had bound and gagged her tightly so that, after a while, she fainted from sheer exhaustion.  Ludwig and Edwyn came to stand vigil with Rhain, all three of them poised for battle with swords at the ready.

            At long last, they received the word they had waited to hear for so long: the French king had surrendered.  The knights began to cheer loudly and Rhain sagged with relief as Edwyn and Ludwig congratulated him enthusiastically.

            It was hard to believe that it was over.  After months of months of battle and grievous losses on all sides, the French had been defeated and Mordrid was dead.  It seemed that Rhain was now to finally profit from the peace he had so long desired.  Wordlessly, he turned from his two friends and embraced Keelin tightly.  

            The German and the English began to descend from the tower.  Rhain walked directly before Keelin, her small, trembling hand clasped firmly in his as he led her from the dread tower in which she had spent two of what must have been the most harrowing months of her life. 

            At the bottom of the stairs, they saw German and English soldiers rounding up the remains of the French soldiers and leading them down to the dungeons.  The French royal family was being held in separate chambers and Rhain ordered them taken to different chambers in the towers with a heavy guard to watch over them.  He knew he would need to deal with the French king soon but he had not the inclination to do it immediately.  The swine could drown in his own fearful sweat, for all Rhain cared.  Rhain would pay him a visit on the morrow, for once he had dispatched his duties this night, the rest of his time was to be devoted to Keelin.

            He kept her close by him as his men set up a makeshift war room for him in the castle's great hall.  Rhain led her to the chair to the right of his and nodded at Edwyn to seat himself next to her.  Ludwig was seated on Rhain's left and the kings and their counselors immediately went to work, organizing their armies, setting forth tasks, and dispatching men to their duties.  It was several hours before the castle began to grow calmer.

            "Edwyn and I may continue from here," Ludwig said kindly to Rhain.

            "Thank you, my friends," Rhain said, clasping the other king's shoulder as he rose from his seat and helped Keelin from hers.

            They were led through the unfamiliar corridors of the French castle by English guards.  Two adjoining chambers had been secured for the king and his lady.  Under the watchful eye of the English knights, the French castle's servants had prepared the chambers with everything that Keelin and Rhain could need.  Rhain would have preferred to ride off for his ship and sail for home immediately but it was necessary to attend to the establishment of rule in France and so he would be forced to stay there with Keelin for an indefinite amount of time, much to his intense displeasure.

            Surrounded by people as they were, Keelin and Rhain were not at leisure to speak to one another and it was with a sense of great relief when they were at last alone together in his chamber.

            They had parted for only a short time to bathe and change their garments, but it had felt like an eternity to Rhain.  There were so many things he wanted to say to her, so many questions he wanted to ask her.  But, most of all, he simply wanted to hold her in his arms again, to taste the sweetness of her kiss, and to know at last that she was well and whole.

            As soon as the door closed behind her, Rhain rushed over to Keelin and took her in his arms, holding her tightly to him as he allowed the tears he had held in check all day to flow down his face.  She was silent but he felt the warmth of her tears seeping through the tunic he wore and he knew that she was as overcome with emotion as he was.

            "Thank God you are well," he said, when he finally managed to regain his power of speech.

            "I was so afraid I would never see you again," she said, her voice muffled.

            "I hope you did not doubt that I would come for you," Rhain said, pulling back from her and looking down into her face anxiously.

            She smiled in spite of her tears.  "Nay, of course not.  But I was afraid that something dreadful might happen to you."

            "If anything had happened to you, I would have run mad," Rhain said, in a strangled voice.  "When I received word of your capture, I felt as though the world had ended.  I cannot tell you how I feared for you, how I wished to rush off in that instant and deliver you from the evil that had befallen you.  Mordrid did not lay a hand on you, did he?"  Rhain's voice was fierce as he looked into her eyes.

            "Nay, he did not," Keelin said, softly.  "He was preserving me for when he had you captured."  She shuddered as she spoke and Rhain felt a chill race up his spine.

            "I have never felt pleasure in killing another man and today was no exception.  Yet I am glad to know that the world is rid of one great evil," he told her.

            "As am I," she said.  "You have saved me from him once again and now I no longer have anything to fear.  How is it that I merit such a savior as you?"

            "And yet I failed you.  I promised you that you would be safe in my castle and you were plucked from there with such ease.  I shall never forgive myself for it."

            "Rhain, I will not allow you to speak such words.  You could not have known of the evil nature of Alinda's heart.  Much to my shame, I did not know of it myself though I thought myself her friend."

            "Then it was she who led you from the castle."

            Keelin moved a short distance from him and turned slightly, fixing her gaze somewhere upon the wall.  She shivered and began speaking, "Aye.  She told me that a message had been received that your mother and I were not safe at the castle and that we were to flee to the abbey at Nottingdale.  She said that your mother would travel separately from me and that I would be reunited with her at the abbey.  She frightened me, convinced me that the French would spring upon us at any moment and so I followed her into the forest, where she said your guard would meet us.

            "Once there, we concealed ourselves in the trees, watching and listening.  She received a signal from the French in the form of a bird's call.  She returned it and then led us out into a clearing, where I was beset by the French.  I tried to flee into the forest but they caught me and drugged me.  I remember nothing of the journey here.  When I finally awoke, I was in the tower and Mordrid was there."

            The king could see the pain in his love's eyes and he closed the small distance between them and took her into his arms once more.  "You have known much betrayal in your life," he murmured.  There was a painful lump in his throat but he tried to keep his voice as controlled as possible.  "I cannot pretend that it is not a possibility that something in this manner may yet occur in the future, just as it may for myself.  To be king or queen is to be surrounded by both enemies and friends.  The trick is learning which is which."

            "I know that," Keelin said, her voice muffled.  "And that is one of the hardest parts about knowing that I am to become queen."

            "I vow to you, my darling, that come what may, you will never know betrayal from me.  I will ever be your friend and will always do all that I can to protect you from the hurts of the world."

            "That means more to me than I could ever possibly tell you," Keelin told me.  "And you shall always have my loyalty.  There is nothing that could persuade me to rend myself from your side."

            Rhain bent his head and kissed her gently upon the lips.  "This is all the comfort in the world that I require," he told her.

            "The same is true for me," she said, with a sigh. 

            Dinner was soon brought for them and as they sat and ate, they talked of France and Rhain was about to explain the need for his presence but Keelin arrived at the subject first and told him that she knew he would need to stay for some time, until things were more settled and he could find someone he trusted to see to France when he returned to England.  She made no complaint and said only that she would not be returning to England without him.

            Rhain smiled at these bold words.  "What?  Are you issuing commands to the king?" he teased her.

            She smiled mischeviously at him.  "You should accustom yourself to it.  I will be issuing many commands once we are married."

            He laughed and reached across the table to take her hand.  "That day will not come soon enough for me.  I wish it were to be the morrow."

            "As do I," Keelin replied, her face softening.  "But it may yet be a while for it must be done in England."

            "I would not wish to have it anywhere else in the world.  Would that we were in England now," Rhain sighed.

            "Do not be so impatient," she told him, with a twinkle in her eye.  "You shall soon enough become my husband and lord and master."

            "As to that, aye I will be your husband but never your lord or master.  And that is not why I am so anxious to marry.  I have… other matters on my mind," he said, looking at her intensely.

            She blushed furiously, making him smile.  "You are most improper," she told him.  He knew she tried to say it in a disapproving tone of voice but a smile played at the corners of her lips, betraying her words.

            "Only with you," he told her, lifting her hand to his lips and kissing it.

            Their talk turned to their wedding and it was decided that the best course would be to entrust Her Majesty, Queen Anne with the planning of it, so that it could take place directly after their return to England.  Rhain also decided that he would write to his mother secretly to request that she have a new crown and some jewels fashioned as wedding gifts for his bride.

            After they finished eating, Rhain and Keelin sat before the fire in his chamber for some time, holding one another and occassionally talking quietly.  Relatively few words were sad, however, for Rhain was content to merely have Keelin in his arms and her sentiments seemed to be the same as his.  It grew late and Rhain watched Keelin's eyelids grow heavy.  Kissing her one final time, he rose from his seat and drew her up with him.

            "Come now, you must go take your rest," he told her.

            "I do not wish to go," she protested, her fatigue clearly sounding in her voice.

            "There will come a day when you will not have to leave my side to take your rest," he told her.  "Alas, today is not that day.  Come.  You have been through a great deal and it is important that you take your rest.  You will see me in the morning."

            "Very well," she said, reluctantly.  

            Rhain escorted her to her chamber and left her in the care of some of the maids.  He returned to his own chamber and undressed without calling for the assistance of his own servants.  Exhaustion suddenly weighed heavily upon him and he fell onto his bed, falling asleep almost instantly.  It had been some time since he had slept soundly.  Now that the worst was over, he could finally give in to his exhaustion.


	40. Chapter 40

**Chapter 40**

            The threat of Mordrid was, at last, gone and Keelin felt as if the world were opening up to her.  She would have thought she would be unhappy in France and was astonished to find that this was not the case.  True, she longed for England and looked very forward to her return, but France had its own charms to claim her.  The only thing standing in the way of complete happiness was the knowledge that she would yet have to wait a little longer before she and Rhain could be wed.  Still, this could not dampen her spirits too much, for she was once again with him and could see him every day.

            France's infrastructure was much worse than anyone had suspected, a fact that was very disturbing to Rhain.  He was anxious to return home and expressed his regret most bitterly to her, but she soothed him with smiles and gentle words until his mood improved.  He too lamented the necessity of their waiting to be wed but was resigned to the knowledge that it was for the best.  

            Rhain's time was in great demand and, though he spent some portion of every day with her, Keelin often found herself with a great deal of time of which to dispose.  Initially, she stayed in the castle and did not do much of anything.  She stitched and practiced playing the lute and read histories of England but was certain that her time could be much better occupied.  It was in hearing Rhain's stories of the petitions that had been brought to him that she found her most satisfactory source of disposal for her time.

            It began with a simple visit to a woman who had lost her husband in the war.  He had not wanted to fight but had been dragged away from his home by the French army and forced to enlist.  The livelihood of his family had been dependent on his remaining and home and working and, almost as soon as he left, his young wife fell into a desperate state.  With two small children to feed and no income, their home had been lost and she had turned to begging in the streets.  A petition had been brought to Rhain by the nuns of one of the local convents and when he had relayed the story to Keelin, she had felt her heart bleed.

            "I shall take alms to her," she told Rhain, in a firm voice.

            He looked a little surprised and perhaps a bit worried.  "Keelin," he said, hesitantly, "I am not certain that is the best course of action.  I will send aide to this woman, of course, but I do not know if it should be disbursed by you.  The state of the country is yet uncertain and you may meet with some hostility…"

            "My darling, I know you fear for my safety and that is only one of many reasons why I love you.  But I cannot sit idly in this castle all the day long stitching useless cushions when the people are suffering.  I have two capable hands and I wish to use them," she said, her voice gentle.

            "I can see that you are quite determined.  Only promise that you will allow me to take whatever measures I feel necessary to ensure your safety."

            "Of course.  I shall certainly trust your judgment on such a matter."

            And so, two days later, Keelin set off from the castle upon horseback with a rather more extensive English guard than she would have liked.  The people gaped openly at her as she rode through the streets of Paris and the poverty, dirt, and despair that she saw tore at her heart.  She smiled and waved graciously at them, calling hello to them in the only bit of French known to her.  

            She was received by Claudette, the unfortunate woman who had lost her husband, with a great deal of gratitude and tears of thanks.  The young woman chattered at her in French and Keelin's translator did his best to keep up but Keelin felt the inadequacy of the exchange.  It made her feel good to do such a small thing for the woman and she left knowing that there were two things that she must do.  She must devote her time to improving the conditions of the poor in France and she must learn how to speak French so that she could communicate with them without having to rely on a translator.

            Her French lessons commenced the very next day and, to her surprise, she seemed to have a natural aptitude for it.  She learned the language very quickly and it was not long before that translator was not needed at all as she went on her missions of mercy.  The nuns of the local abbey became very well known to her and she turned to them for advice on who needed help most desperately and in what form that help could be given.  As Rhain concentrated on rebuilding the backbone of France's economy, Keelin concentrated on rebuilding its spirit.

            Court life in France was also easier and Keelin knew that this was because she did not feel the need to impress the members of the French nobility.  She did not feel the same sense of responsibility for upholding traditions as she felt when she was in the presence of the English nobility.  In England, she was anxious to please.  In France, she wished not so much to assert her authority but to convey to the nobility that there was a new order in their kingdom that they would need to learn to live harmoniously with it.

            In consequence, she felt more open hostility from members of the French court than she had with the English court, but she resolutely ignored it.  In spite of what the peasants felt, the French court was not pleased to be subject to English rule for they did not enjoy the same liberties they once had under the French king.  In spite of this, Keelin was able to befriend one member of the court, a woman one year younger than herself who was named Marguerite.

            Marguerite's father had once been a duke but he had fallen out of favor with the former French king, who had been his cousin.  Andre had been disgusted and outraged at the excesses he had seen in King Lucien's court and when he had openly expressed these sentiments to his cousin, the king had stripped him of his title and sent him into banishment.  When Andre had received news that his former cousin had lost the throne to England, he had set out on the long journey from the small Belgian town in which he had taken up residence during his banishment in order to plead his case before Rhain.  His concern was not for the wealth or the property or the title he had once held, but for his young daughter.  Their state had been much reduced since their banishment and Andre was anxious to see her well placed before he died.

            Rhain had talked about the former duke at great lengths with Keelin.  He was seasoned enough not to take everything at face value but they agreed that Andre seemed sincere enough and so Rhain had invited him to remain in the French court for a time, so that he could better observe the man to ascertain his level of honesty.  In the meantime, English spies gathered as much intelligence as they could about the dispute and it was not long before Rhain and Keelin understood that Andre was every bit as sincere as he appeared.  Rhain reinstated the duke's title and told him to send for his family immediately.  Andre was overjoyed and thanked Rhain over and over with tears streaming down his face.

            "I believe he will prove a valuable ally to you," Keelin had told Rhain when the man had left.

            "Aye, but it pleases me more to know that I have righted the injustices committed against this man," Rhain told her.

            The duke's wife had died the year after his banishment and all that was left to him was his daughter and one faithful servant who had remained with them.  When they arrived, they were met by Andre with great joy and promptly introduced the Rhain and Keelin.  

            Marguerite was a beautiful, shy, and well-learned girl and though Keelin felt an immediate kinship with her, she was wary.  Alinda's betrayal would sting for the rest of Keelin's life and she was not eager to trust another for fear of the same betrayal.  Yet over a short time, Marguerite's sweet manner and stimulating conversation warmed Keelin's heart and she found herself falling into friendship with the young woman.  Marguerite taught Keelin a great deal about French language and culture and was just as eager to benefit from Keelin's knowledge of England.  She began to accompany Keelin and her ladies on their charitable expeditions and it was not long before the French public was enchanted by the sight of them.  They referred to the two young women as "Les belles dames"—the beautiful ladies—and crowds gathered whenever they appeared in public.

            The state of France began to improve, thanks to the hard work of the English and the Germans.  Finally, it came time for Rhain and Ludwig to talk of a regent to watch over France and they came to an agreement to send for Rhain's cousin, Stephan, the Duke of Canterbury.  Keelin had met him once back in England and soon remembered why she had liked him so well.  He was a very warm, just, and forward-thinking young man who was unswervingly loyal to Rhain and had always been, no matter what some of the other members of the nobility had once murmured about him.

            Stephan spent a great deal of time with Rhain and Ludwig as the two kings helped him establish an advisory board and educated him about the state of France but he was always present for the evening's entertainment and, as Keelin came to known him better, her esteem for him grew.

            Yet it seemed that hers was not the only good opinion of Stephan in France, for Keelin often saw him in whispered conversation with Marguerite who listened to him with rapt attention and blushed at his compliments.

            "I believe your cousin is in love," she told Rhain one night as they dined alone together.

            "I am not surprised that you observed it as well," Rhain told her, with a smile.  "Stephan is very open with his affections, but he is not foolish."

            "He has conducted himself beautifully," Keelin agreed.

            "In truth, he confessed his love for Marguerite to me today.  He wanted to be certain that he would have my approval to apply for her hand."  It was standard practice for the nobility to seek approval for their marriages from the king, though Rhain disliked the practice.

            "And what was your response?" Keelin asked, laying her fork aside.

            Rhain smiled once more.  "I gave him my approval, of course.  If she were not a worthy maiden, you would not spend so much time with her.  Stephan intends to ask her father for her hand this night."

            Keelin clapped her hands together and smiled broadly.  "Oh how wonderful!" she said.  "And how lovely for there to be a match between an English duke and the daughter of a French duke!"

            "Aye indeed," Rhain agreed.  "I would have been glad to leave France in Stephan's capable hands at any rate, but I am particularly glad to do so now that he will have a French wife at his side.  I know that the duke is still out of favor with a good number of the nobility but a union between two such prominent families of England and France can bring about nothing but good.  And, better yet, once they are wed, you and I may leave for England at last."

            Keelin felt a small pang at the thought of leaving her good works behind, but she knew that Marguerite would carry on with them once she was gone.  More painful was the thought of leaving her new friend behind, though Keelin felt certain that her friend would be very happy.

            But whatever sorrow she would feel in leaving France behind would be replaced by the great joy she would feel in returning to her homeland.  She had greatly missed the kind queen and would be very happy to see her once again and she would at last become Rhain's wife.  There was a joy in that thought so powerful that it was a bit frightening.

            Stephan's proposal was gladly accepted by both father and daughter and the couple had only to wait a fortnight for their own wedding to take place.  Rhain insisted on having the affair at the castle and he would hear of their having nothing but the finest in honor of the occasion.  There was a great deal of happiness at the announcement of the impending union and where there was not happiness there was at least a level of curiosity that made the event interesting to all.

            The day of the ceremony, Keelin stood in Marguerite's chamber as her maids dressed her in her wedding gown.  She was so lovely in the pale blue satin with her pale blonde waves arranged under a delicate blue veil that Keelin felt tears in her eyes.  The bride's color was high, brought about by a mixture of excitement and nervousness.

            "Oh mon amie, I am glad you are with me," Marguerite said, seizing Keelin's hands and addressing her friend in her thick French accent.

            "As am I," Keelin responded, pressing Marguerite's hands warmly.

            "But I am so sorry that I should be married before you.  By rights, you should have been first," Marguerite said, her voice sounding fretful.

            "I will hear none of this," Keelin said, firmly.  "Today is your day and you should think of nothing but yourself and your handsome bridegroom."

            "Thank you, Keelin.  I shall miss you when you go back to England."

            "I shall miss you too," Keelin said, her tears threatening to spill over.  She embraced Marguerite warmly.  "Come now, off to the cathedral with you!  You do not want to be late for your own wedding, do you?"

            And a beautiful wedding it was.  Everyone looked beautiful, especially the bride and bridegroom and everything was perfect, from the food to the dancing to the wine.

            "Soon, my darling, soon," Rhain murmured to Keelin as he swept her across the floor in a dance.  "Soon we shall know such happiness as well."

            "I find it difficult to believe that there could be a greater happiness than what I feel right now," Keelin said, sincerely.

            "Why do you say such things in the presence of others, when you know that I cannot kiss you for saying them?"

            Keelin laughed softly.  "It must be my cruel heart," she told him.

            "You have not a cruel bone in your body," he assured her.  "Nay, it must be due to your sweet nature."

            "And so you return my kindness with one of your own, for I cannot kiss you either," she said to him, with a laugh.

            He chuckled and pulled her closer for a split second, embracing her warmly in spite of the crush of people that surrounded them.

            The night wore on; the celebration continuing long after the happy couple was sent off with some rather lascivious words of encouragement from those present.  Keelin leaned wearily against Rhain as he escorted her back to her chamber at the end of the night.

            "'Twas a beautiful wedding," she told him.  "You did your cousin a great kindness in having such an affair for him."

            "'Tis no more than they deserved, either of them," Rhain told her.  "'Tis also a fitting end to my stay in France."  They were to leave in two days and Keelin felt a mixture of happiness and sorrow at his words.

            He left her outside of her door with a very fond kiss upon her hand a look in his eye that spoke of his desire for more, which made Keelin blush.  As she closed her chamber door behind her, she thought of all that had come to pass since she had first met Rhain and could not help but marvel at how very wonderful her fate had turned out to be.


	41. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41**

            It was a triumphant return to England.  The streets of London were mobbed with people from all over England who had come to cheer their king's homecoming.  Banners and streamers festooned the streets and there were smiling faces everywhere Rhain looked.  His face felt as if it would crack from smiling, though he could not have prevented the expression if he had tried.  The people tossed flowers in his path as he led Keelin and Edwyn down the streets and to the castle.  Once there, all three were greeted with great joy and many tears by the queen.

            The day was eventful and the celebrations continued until dawn, though Rhain saw very little of them.  He spent most of his time closed in his conference chamber with his advisors who brought him up to date on England.  His mother had been most capable in her son's absence and the country was in a good state but there were still a great many things for Rhain to read and sign and he was grateful when he was finally able to fall into bed and sink into an exhausted sleep.

            For the next several days, Rhain had very little time to think for he was always running from one place to the next to make a speech, to meet with an advisor, to dine with his knights.  He saw Keelin very often but they had little time for private talk together and though this frustrated Rhain, he kept his patience as best he could for their ceremony drew ever closer with each passing day.

            At last the day had arrived and the king prepared for it with a great deal of nervousness and anticipation.  He was arrayed in splendid robes of white satin and velvet edged with ermine and heavy with gold embroidery.  His hair was trimmed and then tied back neatly before his crown was placed upon his head.  As his servants turned and left him, he found that his palms were sweating.

            "Are you ready?" a quite voice asked, startling him.  He turned to see Edwyn at the door, his face split by an enormous smile.  He looked very well in his robes of dark blue and his chain of office, more carefree and happy than Rhain had seen him in years.

            "Aye," Rhain answered, turning and following Edwyn from his chamber and down to the carriage that would convey him to the cathedral.

            It was a beautiful spring day.  Not a cloud was in the sky and there was just the merest hint of a breeze, bringing with it a refreshing scent of flowers and newly cut grass.  Once again the streets were full of people and decorated with many fluttering banners and pennants, all of them scarlet with the royal seal of the gold lion.  The ride to the cathedral seemed very short indeed and a nearly deafening roar went up from the crowd as Rhain and Edwyn exited the carriage and entered the cathedral.

            As he stood at the altar of the cathedral, Rhain could scarcely control his nervous impulse to wring his hands.  His heart was beating very swiftly and he strained his eyes, staring down the impossibly long aisle and impatiently awaiting the arrival of his bride.  A choir began to sing and, at last she appeared.

            Rhain felt his breath catch in his longs as he watched her make her way down the aisle.  She too was arrayed in white satin and velvet elaborately embroidered in gold.  Her face was concealed beneath the shroud of her veil but her hair shone like spun gold as it tumbled over her shoulders and down her back.  A very, very long train slid behind her as she walked up the aisle.  She was an angel without wings and Rhain could scarcely wait until he could lift her veil and share his first married kiss with her.

            He heard very little of the ceremony.  His mind was much too occupied by the heavenly being who stood beside him.  She seemed very composed but as she placed her hand in his, Rhain felt it tremble slight and he pressed it as warmly as he could.  They stood, they knelt, they exchanged vows, but Rhain did not hear a word until they were finally announced as husband and wife and he was told to kiss his bride.

            With trembling fingers, he gently lifted the veil and stared down into the beautiful face that greeted him.  He had never before seen Keelin look so exquisite and it caused his heart to ache.  He vowed to himself that he would have a portrait of her in her wedding gown painted so that he could look upon it every day and witness such loveliness over and over again.

            "I love you," he whispered to her as he leaned down toward her.

            "I love you too," she whispered back, closing her eyes as he cupped her face in his hands and placed a sweet kiss upon her lips.

            They proceeded back down the aisle and smiled and waved at all who had attended.  Rhain wanted to close the curtains of the carriage and spend the ride back to the castle kissing Keelin soundly but he knew that they should wave to his people as they rode back.  This did not stop him from speaking very passionately of his love for her and she responded in kind.

            Their wedding was even more splendid than Stephan's had been.  The queen had outdone herself in the planning of it and there were numerous amusements, excellent wine, and more food than anyone in the castle could possibly eat.  The revelers were very merry, relieved by the ending of the war with France and with their king's return to his country.  The king and his new queen spent most of the night accepting congratulations from various knights and members of the nobility.

            Rhain was relieved when it was finally time for them to leave the celebration and retire to their new chamber.  He had left instructions with his mother on how it was to be refitted and he was more than pleased with what he saw and, apparently, so was Keelin.

            "Oh, Rhain, 'tis so beautiful," she said with tears in her eyes, as she stood and surveyed the exquisitely carved furniture and the blue and green bed hangings and tapestries upon the wall.

            "I am glad it pleases you," he told her, drawing her near and kissing her deeply.  "I have something else for you."

            He stepped over to a low table and presented Keelin with two boxes.  She gasped and her tears spilled over as she opened them.  Within were an exquisite necklace of gold and diamonds and a pair of earrings to match.  He clasped the necklace around her neck and placed the earrings in her ears, lingering to kiss her ears and fair neck as he did so.  She melted into his embrace and, for some time, they knew nothing other than the pleasure of each other.

            Hours later, she lay quietly in his arms as he stroked her silken hair.  He could feel the gentle rise and fall of her body as she breathed.

            "I was wrong about it being impossible to feel more happiness than I felt the day of Stephen's wedding," she said, startling him for he had thought she was asleep.

            "Are you happy now?" he asked her.

            She raised her head from his chest and crawled a little higher in the bed so that she could meet his eyes.  "I do not think happy is the proper word for what I feel," she said, her voice husky.  "It seems far too commonplace a word for such a sensation as what I feel in my heart at this moment.  It is as if all of the pieces of my life have finally come together and I am whole."

            Rhain cupped her face in his hands and kissed her gently.  "I understand.  I have never felt such a sensation of completeness in my life."

            "I knew happiness when I was younger, when I was with my parents and my old mistress.  I thought then that I could never want for anything more in the world.  But now I see what I was missing all that time.  You are so much a part of me Rhain, so much a part of my soul that I know I could never bear to be without you."

            "You never shall be," he promised her, caressing her face.  "This is the beginning of a new life, of our life, and I cherish that more than I am able to say.  I never thought I would find love in my life and, indeed, I had begun to doubt of its existence.  To explain to you how you have changed me would be impossible.  I hope it will suffice to say that I am a better man with you at my side than I had ever hoped I could be."

            A tear slipped from her eye and fell onto his cheek and he pulled her to him, kissing her over and over, allowing her tears to wet both his face and hers.  He had meant every word he said.  Being with her now was the greatest feeling he had ever known.  There were songs about love and poems about love and epic tales about love but none of them even came close to expressing what he felt in his heart for his new wife.

            It was the sweetest night he had ever known and was even better than he had dreamed of it being.  He felt awed as they lay in his bed together, talking and loving and sometimes just laying in silence gently caressing one another's hands and faces and hair.  Eventually, Keelin drifted off to sleep and Rhain stared at her, taking in every feature of his face and feeling a swelling in his heart that was painful.  Every bit of suffering, every bit of pain, and every bit of fear he had ever felt in his life was rewarded in this, in having this angel sleeping in his arms.

            As his own eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep, a smile spread over his face.  Once he had feared the future, had tried his best not to think of what was to come or what it meant for him.  Now he knew he had a future and he knew it was bright, for he would spend it with the woman he loved more than life itself.


End file.
